Take the Lead
by Blackened Wing
Summary: Kaname and Zero have survived hell together... but can they make it through an evening out? Two strong willed individuals go out on a date and try to find the right balance of give and take in their lives. Romance. Fluff.
1. Asking the Question

**Take the Lead  
**by Blackened Wing

**Rating: T**

**Summary:** Kaname and Zero have survived hell together... but can they make it through an evening out? Two strong willed individuals go out on a date and try to find the right balance of give and take in their lives. Romance. Fluff.

**Warnings:** male/male romance, established relationship between Kaname and Zero.

**Pairings:** Kaname x Zero

**Series:** This story is part of the **Duet Series**, which follows Kaname and Zero and their relationship as based off of my story _"Crimson Door". _This story takes place after _"Blood Moon". _

**Important: **This whole series splits off and is AU from the Vampire Knight Manga as of Chapter 33, so there is a lot that is different, such as Kaname and Yuki's past, etc. My version of their past and how the confrontation with Rido went down is told in _"Crimson Door" _which ended with Kaname, Yuki and Zero together in a tentative three-way relationship_. _In the following story, _"Blood Moon" _Yuki was killed and Kaname and Zero had to come to grips with her death, their loss, their grief, and eventually their love for each other. As long as you know that, you don't absolutely have to _have_ read any of my other stories to read this one, but it may make more sense, and will certainly mean more if you've read _"Crimson Door" _and _"Blood Moon"_ first.

**A/N:** Please note that this is not the sequel I mentioned in which we will eventually find out more about Yuki's death. This will be a short-ish fic that is aimed to just give our boys some downtime and a chance to enjoy life together a little as normal people before I start putting them through the wringer again. :) I think after the past few stories they've earned it. ;D

Please ignore the fact that the title of this story is the same as that of a movie that came out a few years back. They have nothing in common with one another except that both were named in reference to dancing. I tried to come up with a better title, but I just kept coming back to that one because it's such a good metaphor for Kaname and Zero's efforts to balance their strong personalities and figure out when they each need to lead, and when to follow.

For anyone who's curious, this story also takes place after my Senri x Takuma WIP _"Yours to Hold" _although that's not very important to the story line except to note that both nobles are both back at school at this point.

**Disclaimer:** Vampire Knight and its characters do not belong to me. They belong to their inspired creator Matsuri Hino. I borrow them without permission, but with great affection. This story is for entertainment purposes only; no money is being made from it.

* * *

**Chapter One: "Asking the Question"**

Takuma Ichijo tapped the eraser of his pencil thoughtfully on the shiny mahogany surface of his desk as he leaned on one elbow, studying the paper in front of him with a thoughtful expression. The rubberized eraser bounced slightly on the hard surface, making the pencil jump rhythmically between his fingers with a small, barely audible _thupping_ sound.

_Thup. Thup. Thup. Thup... _

"Takuma, can I ask you something?"

The blonde-haired noble turned quickly at the sound of his name, the pencil stilling and his smile brightening as he saw Kaname's tall, slender frame leaning in the open doorway of his dorm room. The door had only been left ajar a crack, and Kaname had not knocked, but it was not rudeness on his part, nor the entitlement given to a pureblood. He and Takuma had grown up in the same house, they were comfortable with one another and had their own set of unconscious rules – if the door was closed, knock. If it was open or cracked, then it was okay to just enter.

Takuma rose from his seat out of natural respect. "Of course, anything," he replied, gesturing for his friend to come in. "Have a se... oops, hang on," Takuma realized that Shiki had left his clothes on the nearest chair and quickly swooped them off with a slightly embarrassed shrug, bundling them up and setting them aside. He'd have to ask Shiki to not leave his things all over the place... _again. _Ah well...

Kaname smiled in amusement and shook his head, trying to save Takuma the trouble, although too late. "No, that's fine, I'll not keep you long," he assured, coming in and closing the door behind him.

Takuma reflected that it was good... _normal _somehow, to have Kaname drop in like this, to know they were both under the same roof, even if only temporarily. The two vampires had lived in the same dwelling in one place or another for over 10 years, but that was changed now. Kaname did not stay at Cross Academy any longer. He and Zero had their own place in the country, although from what Takuma understood they were hardly there either the past few months, what with Kaname's responsibilities dragging him all over the country and Zero accompanying Yagari on missions as the elder hunter strove to help Zero prove himself to the Hunter's Association.

Takuma supposed that he had to admit he missed Kaname, if he were honest with himself. He was so used to watching out for him and making sure he was taking care of himself, that he probably would have been at quite a loss over what to do with himself if he hadn't had Shiki in his life. Fortunately, the young model needed quite a lot of looking after.

Takuma knew that these were all just natural growing pains though as both he and Kaname began stepping out into the larger world and assuming the responsibilities that their intermingled pasts had now thrust upon them. The truth was, Takuma himself was only remaining at Cross Academy to act as Dorm President for the rest of the term. Then he too would need to leave to assume the mantle of responsibility passed to him by virtue of being the new head of the Ichijo Empire, seeing as his Grandfather's estate had _finally _been released from probate.

But just at the moment, it was rather like old times what with Kaname and Zero both staying at the school for a week or two. Kaname was a member of the recently formed school board and tried to show up as often as possible so that his very visible support and favor of the Academy would continue to encourage vampire nobles to send their children here.

Takuma leaned his hips back against the desk behind him, hands splayed casually on the edge as he cocked his head curiously. "Okay then, what did you want to ask?"

"What kinds of things do you and Shiki do together?" the pureblood inquired simply. His usual implacable manner was in place, but the very slight hesitation before he spoke told Takuma that the straightforward question hid some un-sureness underneath.

Takuma blinked, his ears flushing just a little before he decided that where his mind was going was probably _not _what Kaname was asking. "Um... you mean, besides..."

Kaname waved his hand quickly. "Yes, besides that," he clarified. "I mean when you're not in bed. When you just want to... I don't know, spend time together, _do _something... go out somewhere..." the pureblood gestured vaguely. He was looking slightly more uncomfortable now, but doing an admirable job of hiding it.

Takuma suddenly thought he understood what Kaname was really asking... and why. "You mean when we go out on a _date_? Senri and I do a lot of things, I suppose. Last week we went to the park, tomorrow we're going out to eat... Kaname, does this have to do with what Rima said yesterday?" he inquired.

Kaname didn't answer, which was an answer in itself.

Takuma smiled wryly. At dinner the previous day, Shiki and Rima had been discussing some of the people they had worked with recently on a shoot. They had some very amusing stories to tell, or at least Rima did and Shiki would put in dry details at humorous moments. Rima had remarked in passing that she thought the art director treated his current wife very poorly because they never did things together and he all but ignored her except when he wanted to knock boots. Takuma had seen Kaname shoot a silent, troubled glance at Zero, who was sitting beside him, eating his noodles and studiously ignoring the gossip.

"You should take Zero out, spend more time together," Takuma advised in the face of Kaname's continued silence. No one had asked his opinion, but he offered it anyway, having a feeling that this was in fact what was on his friend's mind. "That _is _what you're really asking me about, isn't it?"

"We spend time together..." Kaname muttered, folding his arms a little defensively. "A lot of time." He sounded peeved, but Takuma could tell it hid a different emotion.

Takuma had to admit, if he wasn't aware how much Kaname and Zero cared about each other, their relationship would seem very jacked up. They'd been sleeping together for god knew how long and they were now living together, but Takuma didn't think they'd ever been out on an actual "date" or done any of those things that couples normally did. He could tell he wasn't the only one who had noticed... Kaname appeared to be bothered by this as well.

"Sure, you spar together, you work together, I'm certain you relax together at home and you uh... get a lot of _quality time._ That's all good stuff, Kaname, but you two should try just having fun together sometimes. Get away from the norm, try a change of pace, go out on a real date... Trust me; it'll be good for both of you."

Kaname ran a hand through his long dark hair, looking uncharacteristically agitated. "I _want _to..." he admitted quietly. The fact that he'd not balked at Takuma using the word _date _tended to confirm that statement. He and Zero had been through a lot together. Their relationship was strong. They knew how to fight beside one another and how to watch each other's backs and look out for one another. They could stare down hell together and come out the other side... but sometimes it felt like they didn't really know how to just _be _together. They had such different personalities and preferences. It seemed like all their most intense bonding had always occurred during life or death circumstances, but surely, they could find things to do together when the world _wasn't _falling apart... couldn't they? The pureblood shook his head. "I want to, but... I don't know what to do," he confessed, obviously deeply hating having to admit it.

"It's not exactly rocket science, Kaname..." Takuma gave an incredulous chuckle before he could stop himself and the pureblood glared. "You just ask Zero to go out with you, and..."

"There, right there," Kaname interrupted with a scowl. "Problem number one. Can you even _imagine _what Zero would do if I actually asked him out on a _date?_" The pureblood looked like he could and did. "He will look at me like I have a third head and either laugh at me or die of embarrassment."

Takuma raised his eyebrows. "You really think so? Kaname... forgive me for putting it indelicately, but he's _sleeping _with you, you think he'd be embarrassed to go _out _with you?"

"Yes," Kaname said simply. He looked miserable and Takuma actually started to feel sorry for him. "And that's not the only problem. I don't... I don't know how to treat him. I mean, I don't know how to do the things I want to do for... for..."

"For another man," Takuma said quietly, finally understanding the real root of his friend's problem, and why Kaname had come to _him_. Kaname and Zero probably both had the _same_ problem in this regard he'd wager. Takuma had known from early on that he could be attracted to both women and men, which was not very unusual in vampire culture. However, as far as he knew, the pureblood and the hunter had both been quite straight most of their lives... only to end up falling in love with someone of their own gender. It was a trifle unusual and bound to cause confusion.

Kaname nodded with a sigh. "Exactly," he admitted. "I don't want to take him for granted, Takuma. But what am I supposed to do? Bring him flowers and chocolate? Take him out to expensive restaurants and go dancing? How the hell do two men dance together anyway? Who leads? Even if I _could_ get Zero out on the floor without getting shot, which I sincerely _doubt..._"

The pureblood's eyebrows pinched in a frown. He was usually good at navigating tricky situational minefields, but this one had him at a standstill. "I can think of so many ways to do something special for a woman... but... how do I do them for Zero without it seeming stupid or sappy? Without injuring his pride or offending his sensibilities?" Kaname felt the situation was made even more difficult by the wide difference in his and Zero's social standing. Not that it mattered one iota to _him_ what level vampire Zero was, but he knew his lover was constantly being treated as less by the rest of the vampire world. He worried that if he behaved towards Zero as he would with a female lover, it might somehow come off as condescending and make it seem like he was also treating the hunter as less than the strong, capable person that he was. That was the last thing he wanted to do. He loved Zero so much... why was this so difficult?

Takuma thought that Kaname's problem was best summed up in his own words a moment ago. _Who leads? _In a relationship between two such very strong willed individuals, lacking even conventional gender roles to guide them, that question was bound to come up. He gave his friend a compassionate look.

"Kaname... I don't know what to tell you. This is something you and Zero have to figure out for yourselves. But if I could offer any advice, I'd just say don't hold back... take chances. Eventually you'll find whatever the right balance is for the two of you, whatever it is you really like to do together. But you'll never know if you don't try. So go ahead and bring him the flowers, take him to the most stupidly extravagant restaurant in town... if you both have a miserable time, then you'll know to try something else next time. Zero might be embarrassed, but he _loves _you, Kaname. Deep down, he's got to feel good if he knows you're trying to find a way to show him that you love him too. Don't worry about who leads, the truth probably is that you both will at one time or another. Leave that open. Don't be afraid to lead or to follow as the situation arises. Be ready to let _him_ take _you _out when he's ready to as well. He'll come around."

Takuma realized he'd been rather going on and he fell silent, giving his friend a sheepish smile. Probably nobody else would have dared to presume to give Kaname so much advice, but then, Kaname _had _asked, and Takuma had the advantage of their long and close relationship to make him feel comfortable in doing so.

Kaname frowned thoughtfully, but did not seem offended. Perhaps Takuma had a point. He'd never know if he didn't try. After all, what was the worst that could happen?

* * *

"What?" Zero raised his voice over the sound of the shower. Kaname could no doubt hear him fine, but the pureblood had spoken softly and he hadn't quite been able to make it out around the whoosh of the falling water.

Kaname resisted the urge to just enter the shower with Zero rather than repeat his question more loudly... but if he did _that_ then things were going to end up heading in a different direction from the one he intended. It was way too much temptation already, standing here in the steamy bathroom and imagining Zero a few feet away, lathing soapy water across his body... across smooth limbs, a strong, pale chest and well toned abs...

"Kaname?" Zero inquired in the sudden blank silence, pausing inside the shower with sponge in hand, water running into his eyes.

On the other side of the curtain, Kaname shook himself ruefully out of his heated daze. It was amusing, really, what just _thinking _of Zero did to him. You'd think after a while, after how many times they'd been together and how intimately he knew his lover, that the attraction would fade a little. You'd think he'd know Zero so well that the delicious fire fluttering in his gut when he thought about him would grow old... but it seemed just the opposite was the case. The more he had of Zero, the more he wanted him.

Kaname took a deep breath of the warm, moist air. _Focus... _If he wasn't careful he was going to forget his plans and they'd end up spending today like they spent so many days... not that that wasn't delightful too.

Zero's head poked out from behind the shower curtain, silver hair slicked to his head and spiky. "Kaname?" He grinned in bemusement at the sight of the vacant-eyed pureblood standing nearby and quickly ducked back behind the curtain again. Oh, he knew _that _look. It was downright dangerous for Kaname to come around while he was showering or doing anything that required him to be naked. Surprising that his lover wasn't already in the shower with him.

Zero rolled his eyes, but a thrill of heat chased through his body all the same. He may complain sometimes, but in reality the way Kaname seemed to find him so shamelessly and obviously irresistible kind of pleased him. How could you _not _be pleased that your lover couldn't keep their hands off you? Sweet, insatiable twit that he was. Of course... Kaname wasn't the only one who felt that way, as was proved by the fact that Zero found his mind wandering to mental images of running the sponge in his hand down Kaname's body, and along the strong planes of his...

Zero dunked his head under the showerhead quickly. Kaname was very attuned to him. If he started getting aroused, it was all over. "Did you want something, or just come for the peep show?" he grumbled, scrubbing quickly as he finished up in the shower.

By now, Kaname was used to Zero's habit of growling or getting snarky in order to cover other emotions that the hunter was less certain how to express. The pureblood just smiled. "I _wanted_ to tell you we're going out for dinner, but if you're _offering_..." he smirked.

The curtain pulled back enough for Zero's head to pop out again. "In your dreams," he returned dryly before yanking it shut again, obviously referring to the latter statement rather than the former. By now, Zero was used to Kaname sometimes phrasing invitations and requests as statements or commands. It could be irritating, but he understood that the pureblood didn't _usually_ mean to come off as bossy as he was capable of sounding.

"I have very nice dreams..." Kaname retorted silkily.

Behind the curtain, Zero grinned and shook his head. The pureblood's tone sent a warm shiver tingling through the young hunter and the easy banter amused him. How was it possible that the more _impossible _Kaname was, the more he loved him? "_Your_ dinner or _my_ dinner?" he inquired as he rinsed one more time and then turned off the water.

It took Kaname a moment to digest the question before he realized what Zero meant. It was the usual small hitch about terminology between them. The hunter had converted to Kaname's nocturnal schedule for the most part, except when hunter business required him to reverse again. But Zero still thought of dinner as the last meal of the day, while vampires considered called that _supper _and used _lunch_ and _dinner_ interchangeably to refer to what was for them, a mid-day meal. Because their mid-day fell roughly at humans' dinner time, it was more convenient for vampires to have their main meal of the day at that time, at least if they intended to eat out. Come 'evening' for them, the only places still open were purely vampire establishments, 24-hour diners serving breakfast or some fast food restaurants. Somehow, attempting a romantic dinner at IHOP just didn't hold much appeal.

So it had come about that if it was an important mid-day meal that had to coincide with human operating hours, then vampires called it dinner. If it was just a break to eat before continuing their day, then it was lunch. All of this was instinctual to Kaname, but troublesome for Zero who found the contextual muddle of terms and definitions somewhat frustrating. He still got hung up trying to use morning and evening terminology while reversing it properly and as a result simply avoided it using it at all whenever possible.

"Oh, _my_ dinner," Kaname clarified as he heard the water shut off. A wet, pale arm stuck out from behind the curtain in a waiting gesture. The pureblood obligingly pulled Zero's bath towel off the rack behind him and placed it into the hunter's hand, which disappeared behind the curtain again. Sometimes Zero would get out to dry off, wet and naked, just to get Kaname worked up, but he was obviously trying to avoid spending the next few hours on his back right now.

Kaname realized suddenly that he had _told _Zero they were going out just now, not _asked _him. It wasn't intentional, but he was... was... okay, he was _nervous_, and when he got uncertain, he tended to start asserting more command in order to feel back in control. He didn't usually catch that foible, but when he did he wondered how Zero put up with him. "I mean... if you want to. Uh, go eat, I mean," he added quickly. The pureblood flushed slightly, kicking himself for his incredible lack of eloquence.

_God, are you really this pathetic? _It wasn't like Kaname had ever asked anyone out before. Usually he was trying to politely decline other people's advances. He'd always assumed he would be good at it if he actually tried, but when you had a huge emotional stake in how the other person responded, it was much more gut-knotting than he'd anticipated. Stupid, considering Zero was already _with _him, it wasn't like he was trying to woo him or anything, but... but at the same time, maybe he was. Maybe he wanted that missing element of their relationship.

Zero pulled back the curtain and stepped out, the towel loosely wrapped around his hips, water still glistening here and there on his body where he hadn't quite dried it all off. He eyed Kaname a trifle suspiciously. The pureblood was acting weird, which probably meant he was up to something.

"Sure, sounds fine," he said slowly, as if trying to ascertain what was going on in Kaname's head. "Tired of school food already?"

Kaname shrugged, a little relieved, but still uncertain as what to say. Zero didn't really_ get_ what he was asking, and Kaname wasn't sure if it would be easier all around if he just left it that way, or if he should try to make himself a little more clear. He hated feeling indecisive like this. "Well, it's not bad, but it can't compare to your cooking, of course," he teased fondly.

Zero blushed slightly and grabbed another towel to dry his hair some more as it was still dripping a bit. "Well, I could cook something instead if you wanted," he offered quietly. It always both pleased and flustered him the fuss Kaname made about his cooking. It wasn't like it was _that _good, but Kaname acted like it was. He didn't really feel like standing over a hot stove right now, but for Kaname, he didn't mind.

Kaname smiled and leaned over, giving Zero a little kiss on the cheek. "Thanks," he said softly. "But I don't want you to have to do that. I'd rather go out. The arrangements have already been made. I can have a suit sent up if you didn't bring one..." he started to offer, unsure of what kind of wardrobe Zero had packed. Dress clothes weren't usually the foremost thing in the hunter's closet.

Zero shook his head with a patient, faintly peeved look. "Kaname. We've had this discussion. I am perfectly capable of picking out my own clothes," he warned.

Kaname grinned and raised his hands in placation, not having meant to tread on _that _little minefield. "Of course, of course. It was only a suggestion. Just wear something really nice."

"Why?" Zero's tone was suddenly wary and suspicious. "Kaname... this isn't another dinner party, is it? You promised I could sit the next one out..." the hunter sounded grumpy and tired just thinking about it. It wasn't that he didn't want to be with Kaname, but long, boring social events spent surrounded by vampires looking down their noses at him, constantly mistaking him for Kaname's servant and ordering him around, were not his idea of fun.

Kaname shook his head quickly. "No, no. This is private, just the two of us. I made reservations for us at the Edo."

Zero's eyebrows raised. The Edo had to be the most pricey, upscale theater dining experience in the area. He remembered hearing about it back when they were in school. As he recalled, the place booked out months in advance. Only Kaname could have gotten a reservation there on such short notice. His interest was piqued.

"Oh... okay. Why?" Zero inquired before he could stop himself. Inwardly he grimaced, wondering why he had to ask. Kaname wanted to go out and have some fun, he didn't mean to sound like he expected the pureblood to have an ulterior motive. It was just... well... no, he couldn't really explain it, nor could he have said what exactly he was hoping Kaname would answer.

Kaname raised his eyebrows. "Do I really need a _reason _to go out with someone I love?" he asked quietly.

Zero froze, slowly lowering the towel from his head and looking at Kaname. His chest felt suddenly very warm and tight and his breathing stuttered slightly as he looked at the pureblood. "Kaname, are... are you asking me out on a...?"

"Date?" Kaname finished for him, ruthlessly squishing his own unease in an attempt to not make Zero uncomfortable. "Yes."

Something inside Zero leapt. He felt a soft, intense yearning inside him, coupled with a hot flush of embarrassment. He was surprised and flustered and he didn't deal well with either of those emotions.

"_Date?_ Are you kidding? No way..." Zero shook his head, color hotly infusing his cheeks.

Kaname had to admit he loved that look on him, but he cringed inwardly because his lover was reacting exactly as he'd suspected he would. He knew Zero wasn't really rejecting _him... _but it kind of felt like it anyway.

"Why not?" Kaname pressed. "It's just dinner. Zero, I swear, I'm not trying to embarrass you, I just want to spend time with you... please?" he whispered softly.

Any and all further protests died before ever reaching Zero's lips. He knew Kaname didn't ask for things in that manner, didn't lay himself open like that lightly. There was no way he could offer rejection in the face of that curiously tender, vulnerable look Kaname was fixing on him.

He'd die for this man. Certainly... he could survive going out on a date with him. It was almost stupid, really, when you looked at it that way. Zero swallowed, caught and held in Kaname's deep garnet and chocolate eyes. "All right," he finally murmured.

Kaname rewarded him with a brilliant smile. "Excellent! We leave in an hour." He paused. "I... thanks, Zero," he said softly.

Zero ducked his head, confused at how to feel. He almost felt guilty at seeing Kaname so pleased by something so simple. He wanted to grumble at him that it was no big deal, but he got the feeling that maybe to Kaname it was. "Hey, you're the one paying," Zero teased with a small, hesitant grin instead. "So thank _you_, and now get out so I can get dressed."

Kaname gave a small nod and turned to go. Zero and he were inhabiting Kaname's old set of rooms in the Moon Dorm, so they were sharing a bathroom, although Kaname had had the guest bedroom set up for Zero. Not that Zero spent much time there. Most nights he shared Kaname's bed, even if all they did was sleep, but the pureblood knew a sense of autonomy was very important for his lover. Especially while they were back here at the Academy, where there were so many memories and old patterns of behavior to avoid.

"Hey, Kaname?" Zero stopped the pureblood before he could leave, and when Kaname turned around, the hunter leaned forward and gave him a quick, hesitant little kiss.

Kaname was surprised, and his gaze bottomed out into sheer, soul-encompassing adoration as he lightly pushed Zero back against the wall next to the towel rack, kissing him very thoroughly in return before slipping out of the bathroom with happy, twinkling eyes. "Don't be late..." he murmured.

Zero leaned his back against the cool bathroom wall and let his head fall back against it as he heard the door click shut. His heart was thudding in the wake of Kaname's kiss. The pureblood's taste was still on his lips. The steam was fading slowly as the air cooled and settled, but his body still felt very warm.

Protesting to Kaname's invitation before had been a knee-jerk reaction to something unexpected. He didn't deal well with surprises, since for so much of his life they had always been bad. He tended to pull away from the unknown first, and then consider it more carefully later.

But... the truth was... something inside his chest ached quietly. He was embarrassed and flustered at the idea of going on an actual "date" with Kaname, and yet... yet he kind of liked it too. From the beginning of their sometimes tumultuous relationship, things had always been very physical between them. Zero had given Kaname his virginity when they were hardly even over being enemies yet. He flushed with intense humiliation at thinking of it in such terms, but however you wanted to dress it up, it was still true. The intense sexual attraction and near addiction between them after that had been almost more than he was ready for back then. Love had come later. Although... maybe a thread of it had been there all along. Like a precious diamond in its rough, uncut state - it had taken time and the sometimes painful sheering off of their rougher edges before the beauty of what lay beneath could be revealed. And like a diamond, that love was strong now, despite their differences and strong willed personalities.

But maybe... maybe there was still a little something they were missing. All of Zero's most precious memories of Kaname seemed to come after one or the other of them had almost died, and while that made them doubly precious, Zero also realized he wanted to be able to have slightly more normal memories to treasure as well. He... he loved Kaname so much. Maybe... maybe he _wanted _to do sappy things like walk in the moonlight hand in hand and count the stars together.

He felt so embarrassed, thinking like that, but... would he have felt embarrassed if he was thinking that way about a girl? He'd never thought it weird to want to do those things with Yuki, the only other person he'd ever loved this much. So why shy away from them with Kaname?

Logically, Zero told himself these things. The fact remained, however, that it still felt different and awkward. Maybe it shouldn't, but it did. And yet... he kept coming back to the even more unshakable fact that Kaname was worth the discomfort.

Zero ran his hand down his face and pushed away from the wall with a faint, hesitant smile. Okay. Okay... he... he could do this. He _wanted _to do this. Zero still felt incredibly shy and hesitant, but he was determined to give this a chance. He glanced at his watch, lying on the counter where he'd left it, and rubbed fog off the dial with his thumb. Well, he'd better get a move on if he was going to get ready for... for their _date_.


	2. Orchids and Roses

_A/N: Sorry for the delay with this chapter, and that it's kind of short and doesn't move things along too far. The next chapter will be longer and will hopefully be along with much less delay. ;) As always, don't forget that my review responses are in my forum. You can find more details on my bio page. _

**Chapter Two: "Orchids and Roses"**

"Well, what do you think?" Zero asked with smile that was meant to be wry but betrayed a little more hesitancy than he'd intended as he leaned in Kaname's doorway. "Do I pass muster for the dress code?"

Kaname was still finishing dressing, being a step behind Zero who had already showered. The pureblood was wearing dark trousers and a silky brown dress shirt with French Cuffs that almost matched his hair. Zero saw a suit coat that matched the trousers carefully hanging on the back of a chair. Kaname had his back to him, apparently in the middle of deciding on a tie. Zero enjoyed watching the graceful line of Kaname's figure and the way the dress clothes clung easily to the pureblood's body like a second skin. Kaname looked good in anything. Heck... Kaname looked _great _in _nothing... _Zero gave a little mental cough and steered away from that thought. Zero had to admit though, that the pureblood could really look delicious when he dressed up.

The pureblood seemed to have an innate sense of style and elegance, making Zero a bit nervous about living up to standards, despite what he said. Fashion was not really Zero's thing. Not that he couldn't put himself together nicely when he wanted to, but he just usually didn't give it a lot of thought. Tonight though, he had this stupidly nervous feeling, like he wanted to impress Kaname and was afraid to disappoint.

_Get a grip, Kiriyu, you're taking this whole "date" thing far too seriously... _he chided himself ruefully. It was true. He was trying not to show it, but he felt almost as nervous as if it was his first date. Well... okay, actually it kind of was in a way.

Kaname turned around at the sound of his voice, and the look in the pureblood's pleasantly surprised and delighted eyes said that Zero needn't have worried about what he was wearing.

The pureblood stared at Zero in open appreciation. He was going to have to stop teasing Zero about his wardrobe if the hunter kept dressing this way. Zero was wearing a dark charcoal suit and a crisp white dress shirt. The dress shirt had a collar that nicely framed Zero's neck, but it was not one that was meant to be closed. The neck was in the shape of a V, falling casually open down to where about the second button on a dress shirt would normally be. It left the hunter's neck delightfully on display and left a nice patch of the creamy skin over his collarbones visible as well.

To the casual observer, it was a nice, relaxed dress shirt. To a vampire, the exposed, dipping neckline and the collar that just teased the sides of the throat as if begging to be pushed back was delightfully provocative. With a wide smile, Kaname wondered if Zero realized that or not.

Kaname gave a soft, slightly trembling exhalation of approval. "You certainly do," he said, returning Zero's grin. With self-deprecating amusement, Kaname had to tear his eyes away with a chuckle, instinctively covering his mouth with his hand to hide the fact that his fangs had become aroused. He acted like his nose itched, rubbing the underside lightly with the edge of his palm as he gave himself a moment to recover control.

Zero knew exactly what the pureblood was doing and Kaname's honest body-reaction proved very eloquently just how nice his lover thought he looked, making the hunter hum with happy, embarrassed pleasure that he wasn't about to cop to.

Zero entered the room and picked up the cufflinks that were sitting on Kaname's desk, obviously waiting to be threaded into the French Cuffs of the shirt he was wearing. He turned the small, graceful little gold and diamond studs over in his hand, wondering if the stones were real and guessing they probably were while allowing Kaname a moment of privacy to collect himself.

When he turned back around, Kaname was watching him with a delighted, but no longer predatory smile. "Maybe I should start letting _you _pick my clothes for _me_, hm?" Kaname said with a twinkle in his eyes.

Zero grinned and shook his head. "I'm not sure you'd like the result," he teased with a warning eyebrow raised. "Besides, I think you look great." Stepping closer, Zero took hold of Kaname's right wrist, lightly bringing it up and turning it over so he could fix the cufflinks for him. The ex-human folded the cuff neatly and worked the small, round head of the link through the now overlapping holes. Kaname could probably do this himself with ease, despite it usually being a somewhat tricky proposition to do one-handed, but Zero wanted to. It was a good excuse to be close to the pureblood and the hunter liked taking care of him.

Kaname's shirt was silky under his fingers and Zero enjoyed the sensation against his skin. The fabric was a little softer and less starched than was usual for shirts employing cufflinks though, and he had to concentrate a bit to not let it slip away from him or to let the cuff get messy as he worked. Once he was satisfied with one cuff, he took Kaname's other arm in his hands and repeated the procedure.

Kaname was once again pleasantly surprised and he stood patiently, perfectly happy and content to let Zero do as he pleased. His expression was soft and radiant as he watched the silver head bent over its self appointed task. Zero's warm fingers brushed his wrist and palm as they worked with his shirt cuffs. The soft, fresh scent of Zero's shampoo mingled with the boy's natural scent filled his senses and Kaname breathed it in deeply.

"There," Zero straightened up after a few more moments, satisfied with his work. He glanced up and caught Kaname's intensely adoring gaze, causing him to color slightly and look away, even as he smiled. "Um, all set," he finished, finally glancing back towards Kaname as if his gaze was being drawn by a magnetic force.

Kaname leaned forward, his finger tips brushing Zero's neck and sliding sensually beneath that delicious collar as his hand slid around behind Zero's head. He kissed Zero chastely but with deliberate slowness, letting their lips just linger against one another's for a few heart-thudding moments. "Thank you, Zero," he murmured against the other boy's mouth, his tongue flicking out and just lightly tracing the contour of the ex-human's delicious lower lip before Kaname straightened and withdrew, reaching for his suit coat.

Zero found himself standing still as a statue, breathing hard in the wake of the pureblood's incredible, gentle touches. _Wow._ _Damn... _his trousers were now uncomfortably tight and he was glad that his suit coat came down as far as it did. It was Zero's turn to need to get control of himself and Kaname let him do so as he shrugged into his suit coat. The pureblood opted not to wear a tie after all. Zero wasn't and he preferred for them to be similarly attired. Besides... he really didn't want anything around his neck right now. He'd rather keep it open and... inviting.

To that end, Kaname undid his top button, letting the smooth fabric pull gracefully away from his throat a little. Crossing the room, Kaname picked up something from the table that Zero hadn't really noticed was there. Carrying the small clear plastic, ribbon-wrapped box over, the pureblood gave it to the hunter with a small, slightly hesitant smile. "I got this for you. You don't have to wear it if you don't want to though."

Inside the box, which bore the gold emblem of a local florist, lay a small orchid boutonniere. The inner petals were a pale violet color that matched Zero's eyes, fading to white at the edges and the stem was done up in silver ribbon. The boutonniere was elegant and tastefully understated. Kaname had stopped short of actually getting Zero a bouquet of flowers, thinking that showing up at the door to the guest bedroom with a swath of blossoms in hand to pick Zero up for their date might be pushing the hunter a little too far for their first attempt at this. But lots of men wore boutonnieres, Kaname certainly did, so this was a manly way to give him flowers, right...? It had been worth a try, anyway.

"I think it would match your outfit very nicely," Kaname added when Zero said nothing. The hunter was staring at the flower with something between surprise and hesitation.

Zero's first reaction to seeing the flower was surprise. His second was a flustered embarrassment. First they were going on a date and now Kaname was giving him _flowers? Oh geez..._ But, the flower was pretty, and the arrangement wasn't gaudy or anything. He'd worn flowers in his button hole before, although he hadn't put them there. In the past it had always been Yuki who tucked them into his suit, like she had done at the school dance in another lifetime.

The recollection softened his initial reluctance. There was always a warm, wistful pain when he thought of her, there probably always would be, but there was also the warmth of precious memories now and it helped temper his initial reaction, giving him another perspective. There was really nothing unusual about Kaname doing this at all, was there? The pureblood was just showing that he cared.

Slowly, to Kaname's surprise, Zero slid the ribbons off the box and removed the flower without a word. He looked at it for a moment, turning it over and seeing the long pearl headed pin piercing the ribbon clad stems. It was obviously meant to be pinned rather than put in an actual button hole, which was good because Zero's current suit had decorative, non-cut button holes only.

_Kuran actually meant "nine orchids" didn't it_? The random thought crossed Zero's mind briefly as he held the flower out to the pureblood. "Can you pin it on?" he asked quietly. He could have done it himself, but he kind of felt like Kaname would like to... or maybe... he kind of _wanted _Kaname to do it.

Kaname smiled deeply, relieved that Zero was okay with this and very pleased to be asked. He took the flower from Zero's hand and leaned forward, carefully and deftly pinning it to the lapel of Zero's jacket. He took time with it, making sure it was seated just right and that the pin was tucked carefully into the fabric in a way that would not show or risk jabbing Zero. His knuckles lightly brushed Zero's throat and chin as he straightened the lapel and ghosted his long fingers down the length of it to smooth it back into place.

"There," Kaname whispered softly. "You look more irresistible than ever." He turned Zero around, towards the mirror in the corner. His arms slipped around the hunter's waist, his chin resting lightly on Zero's shoulder, holding him as he guided the hunter to view his reflection.

The flower did match Zero's suit perfectly. The pale white-violet showed nicely against the dark color of the suit and complimented both Zero's white shirt and his amethyst eyes. The sight of Kaname holding him with tender possessiveness in front of the mirror, watching him in their reflections, sent a hot shiver fingering through Zero's stomach and out through the rest of his body.

Zero swallowed hard, just breathing for a moment, his pulse quick and rapid. "Thanks," he croaked softly. Then suddenly he was turning in Kaname's arms and they were kissing hard. Definitely not chaste this time, but wild and hungry - fingers in one another's hair, tongues, lips and teeth searching, chests heaving and breath panting between them. When they came up for air a minute later, Zero felt dizzy. A thought made its way through his somewhat slowed and distracted psyche and he quickly looked down to check his flower. It was fine, having escaped their passionate embrace unscathed.

Kaname dropped his forehead to rest on Zero's shoulder, closing his eyes as his hands gripped tightly to the hunter's biceps. He panted slowly and somewhat harshly, struggling for control. Zero was irresistible, intoxicating... he wanted to push him backwards onto the bed and peal him out of his delectable clothing one piece at a time. _But not yet_, he told himself firmly. They really had to get going or they would be late. _Later. There would be plenty of time later. _

Zero felt Kaname shudder softly against him and brushed his fingers gently through his lover's hair. He was no less worked up than Kaname, but he knew that the pureblood physically had problems resisting the pull of the attraction between them sometimes. Especially when they were close and their pheromones were mixing. It was like Zero sometimes was if he got the scent of blood when he'd been a little too long without. He had more trouble controlling his blood lust than Kaname did, and Kaname had more trouble controlling his...well, _lust_, than Zero did.

Kaname straightened up with monumental effort, forcing himself to calm his racing heart as best he could. He smiled ruefully and smoothed Zero's silver hair back into place where his roving hands had mussed it up a few moments ago. They both had a little blood on their lips from their wild kissing and Kaname had to avert his gaze. He pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to Zero before stepping away to find something else on which to wipe his own mouth. Staring at the beautiful crimson on Zero's lips right now would be too much temptation. His hands shook slightly as he tried to find another handkerchief among the various items he'd left on the bed before.

Kaname was strong willed and very good at denying himself just about everything if he had to... everything except Zero. He usually seemed to have absolutely no ability for delayed gratification where the ex-human was concerned. Zero realized this evening must be pretty important to Kaname if the pureblood was fighting for it so hard.

Zero smiled and wiped his mouth on the handkerchief, licking his lips clean and tasting the delicious tang of his and Kaname's blood mingled together. It was a good thing he'd fed just last night, or his instincts would be playing up pretty hard too. Walking over to Kaname, he stopped the pureblood's slightly fevered movements and turned the other vampire gently back towards him. Kaname's mouth was still smeared red, matching his faintly burning eyes, and Zero used the clean half of the handkerchief Kaname had given him to clean him up. The pureblood leaned into Zero's touch as if drinking it up.

Zero smiled softly. "Kaname, if you want to stay home, we can..." he said softly, drawn to the pureblood's obvious need and wanting to let him off the hook if this was too hard.

Kaname returned his smile, forcefully expelling the red from his eyes and his mind. Zero's gentleness only strengthened his resolve. This boy was his life. Yes, he physically wanted and needed him, but there was so much more to it than just that. He didn't want Zero to think that his needs always had to come first... nor was he going to let him out of their date so easy.

"What, not trying to get out of this evening already...?" the pureblood teased a bit huskily, raising an amused eyebrow. He gave his head a little shake. "No. I want to go. We can... pick this up again later, yes?" his dark eyes twinkled in seductive mischief as he took the handkerchief from Zero and tossed it into the fireplace to burn later. It had his blood on it and that was difficult to get out of things.

Zero exhaled a bit shakily himself and grinned wryly. "Like I have a choice?" he joked. Kaname's hair had gotten tousled before as well and Zero reached over to smooth it with his fingers.

"Hey, if I have to wear one, you need a flower too," he commented, looking around to see if one was in evidence. He didn't see any, so he took matters into his own hands. Literally. Lightly biting the tip of his finger, Zero let a drop of blood fall into his other palm and a few moments later, he was holding a perfect crimson rose in the bowl of his hand. Normally, his roses were similar in color to the orchid that Kaname had gotten for him, but he'd found that adding blood could turn them red. He felt that red roses complimented Kaname's coloring more, and it would go better with his outfit.

Kaname inhaled a trifle sharply when Zero's blood hit the air again, but a deep, soft smile lit his face as he realized what the hunter was doing. Zero didn't usually produce flowers for flowers sake - they were more often a byproduct of his vines, at least when he was happy. The pureblood thought it was very precious.

Zero plucked the flower from his palm and quickly sucked his finger off so that he wouldn't stain Kaname's suit as he reached forward and pressed the gorgeous, velvety rose to the pureblood's lapel. He didn't have a pin to fasten it with, but he didn't need one. At a little urging, the stem of the flower grew _into _Kaname's suit, easily holding the blossom in place without damage the fabric any more than a pin would have. It would release as easily as it had affixed when he told it to.

Kaname turned his head, sniffing sweet perfume of the blossom. It smelled like a rose, but it also smelled uniquely like Zero. Kaname didn't think nature could make a more perfect flower in a million years. Zero was getting really good at manipulating and controlling his powers, and that pleased the pureblood too.

"Thank you, Zero," Kaname said softly and Zero smiled and looked away. He glanced at his watch, causing Kaname to do the same, both of them noting they had best be off.

"Well... shall we?" Kaname inquired with a dancing smile, gesturing towards the door in a grand, intentionally over-stated manner.

Zero looked amused by the flourish. "You're not really saying I have a choice, are you...?"

Kaname was the picture of innocence. "Nope."

Zero smirked. "Didn't think so."

A few minutes later the two of them were heading out of the Moon Dorms towards the waiting car.


	3. Opposites Attract

_A/N: Couple of disclaimers here... some restaurant details in this chapter may be wrong for what a Japanese restaurant would really be like. Likewise, I claim no extensive knowledge of Kabuki and shall just point to the fact that I said the Edo was an "experimental" establishment - i.e. not the way things might usually be done. So please ignore any small flubs that may exist in that regard, the setting really isn't that important except as a backdrop. _

_For anyone who is wondering, the item of jewelry and its history mentioned near the end of the chapter is a reference back to my story "Crimson Door". Also, don't worry, this story and their date is far from over, there's at least another couple chapters to go. :)_

**Chapter Three: "Opposites Attract"**

Kaname and Zero sat quietly in the back of the car as the driver navigated the streets towards their destination. The sun had already set, although only just, and the car's tinted windows were unnecessary. The silence was companionable, if a bit awkward. Neither of them knew exactly what to say and both of them were trying to pretend they weren't at all nervous.

"So... the Edo, huh? I've never been there. Isn't it some kind of dinner theater?" Zero inquired after a few minutes.

"Yes, in a manner of speaking." Kaname looked glad to have something to talk about. "They have done different things in the past. Currently they are functioning as an experimental Kabuki dining experience."

Zero's eyebrows went up. "Kabuki?" He had been to a real, traditional Kabuki performance once when he was a kid. His parents had taken him. Ichiru hadn't gone because he had been ill. At first Zero had been sorry for him, but after a while he had decided that Ichiru was the lucky one that time. Including intermissions, the show had lasted all day and the 7-year-old had not really gotten into the discordant music and flashy, stylized performances. He had been bored out of his skull. _Oh, this is going to be fun. _

Kaname nodded, missing Zero's well concealed apprehension. "Of a sort. It's more of a two hour variety show than an actual performance," he said somewhat apologetically. He would have taken Zero to a _real _show if he could have, but there weren't any in the area and ideally you needed to plan enough in advance to try to sleep the night before, since it would require a vampire to stay up all day. He'd done it a couple of times when he was younger with Takuma. He found the style interesting and was intrigued by the way the ancient story lines and traditions had come forward through time, some parts changing under the influence of their ages, some remaining the same.

Zero hid his relief. _Two hours... okay, that wasn't so bad. _Not something he would have chosen to do, but for Kaname he could brave it out for a couple of hours.

"The food should be excellent," Kaname added, continuing on to name the head chef and talk about other restaurants in the man's resume history at which Kaname had dined in the past. Zero didn't recognize any of the names or places, but he liked the sound of Kaname's voice and it meant that he didn't have to try to talk, so he just listened and nodded in the right places.

Entertainment and food quality were two of the reasons Kaname had chosen the Edo. Another reason, one he left un-voiced, was that he didn't think they were likely to run into many other vampires there tonight. It was a decidedly upscale establishment, but usually a tad more crowded than upper class vampires tended to like. Kaname was more than willing to overlook that in favor of the benefits. He wanted Zero and he to be able to relax, which wasn't always possible when there were others of their kind around.

Outside of his own trusted inner circle, he could not afford to let other vampires realize just how much Zero meant to him, for fear of what harm may be directed towards the ex-human as a result. True, Kaname knew Zero could hold his own with the best of them, especially as a hunter. But _as_ a hunter, he was also a disturbingly tempting target. It would be too easy for vampires to single him out for attack sometime on some mission and it would be hard to prove how or why it had been done. It would be too easy to try to blame whatever Level E he had been after.

Kaname was not shy about letting the world know he cared for Zero, or even acknowledging that they were lovers. Yet as much as he hated it, he had to keep up the appearance that it was in the context of Zero as his protégé and trusted subordinate. It was not uncommon for vampires to have many lovers, especially a pureblood within his inner circle. It was a sign of devotion to their leader that anyone would have offered. The relationship was often especially close between master and protégé, and although many disapproved simply because of what Zero was, they didn't suspect it was anything more than that. Vampire prejudice and the seeming impossibility of it being anything more was on their side and blinded those whom Kaname wished to stay blind. Should it be generally realized that he was far more serious about Zero than supposed, that he considered Zero his life mate... then Zero's life would become much too dangerous much too quickly. Whether it was from those who felt that purebloods were sacrosanct and should not lower themselves in that manner, or from Kaname's enemies who had suddenly found his weak spot, it didn't matter, the resulting danger would be the same.

Zero wouldn't even be safe around other hunters if that happened. It was tricky enough to get them to accept that as a vampire, Zero had to belong to a Syndeo and follow its laws and traditions in order to survive in that world, but with a lot of prodding from Yagari and a suitable amount of pressure from Kaname, they were proving reluctantly willing to at least give him a chance. As long as the Association thought that Kuran was mostly interested in Zero for his unique blend of being vampire and hunter, they were wary, but interested in the young hunter for the same reason. However, the Hunters had plenty of their own political intrigue. There were those like Yagari who would stand by Zero even if the truth did come out, but there were many others who would see the young hunter's importance to Kaname as an opportunity. They would try to use him as a weapon against the pureblood as surely as any vampire would.

If anyone ever learned that killing Zero would effectively kill Kaname or drive him insane... Zero's life wouldn't be worth jack. It would become almost impossible for Kaname to allow him to be far from his side at any time without him being in grave peril, and he couldn't do that to Zero, he knew the boy treasured his freedom and his life as a hunter too much. Kaname wouldn't see Zero become a virtual prisoner because of him and his enemies. He already suspected those enemies were the reason Yuki had been killed. He would _never _let that happen to Zero. So they had to pretend. But not right now... not right this moment they didn't.

"I think we're there," Zero commented, the conversation having comfortably lapsed a minute or two before. He glanced towards Kaname to find the pureblood looking at him with a strange, fierce longing in his eyes that was almost sad. The hunter's expression turned soft and questioning and Kaname quickly shook off his dark thoughts and smiled. This wasn't Zero's problem, it was his. It was his burden to have to fight to keep the curse of his power and the darkness of his future from destroying and turning to dust anything he touched... anyone he dared love. Zero knew his mind on these things. Kaname did not hide the fears and the pain from him, but the reality was that Zero could share this particular burden with him only so far, and then Kaname just wanted to keep him safe from it. Zero seemed to understand that too, even if he didn't always agree.

Such dark musings were not appropriate for this evening, and Kaname dispelled them with a well practiced act of will. He had so much to be grateful for, so much to celebrate in his life – not the least of which was the boy sitting next to him and how happy they had become together. Tonight was about those things. Tonight was about being with Zero, and not worrying about anything beyond the two of them and this moment in time.

Kaname's smile was genuine as he gave his head a little shake, indicating that what Zero had seen was nothing, just a passing thought. "You're right, we are. Driver, let us off near the front." The car stopped as near to the front as it was allowed and let the two of them out. Kaname paused to give the driver instructions on what time to be there to pick them up again and then the pureblood and the hunter turned towards the Edo.

The restaurant / theater was housed in a grand, sprawling building that was done in lavish old style but with modern touches bringing it nicely up to date, like an entry that was made out of highly polished glass plates which were so clean they were almost invisible. Everything about the building spoke of grandeur and elegance, and Zero thought it was no surprise that Kaname had chosen such a place.

There was a man standing by the glass doors, opening them to admit guests as they arrived. The man was dressed in traditional Japanese garb to fit with the theme of the dinner dining experience. Due to its Kabuki-in-a-nutshell approach, the Edo was popular with tourists and tour groups when they were in season. There was nothing falsely showy or overly theatrical about the place, however. When tourism was out of season, as it was currently, the Edo catered pretty exclusively to a highbrow crowd. There was a certain understated elegance that underlay everything from the building itself to the uniforms of its employees.

Kaname took Zero's hand as they walked the short distance towards the entrance. Zero saw the doorman glance at them and discretely pulled his arm away. It was okay in private or in the car, but he wasn't exactly comfortable walking into the restaurant that way. It just felt... strange. The feeling was not helped by his acute vampire hearing picking up on the soft, idle chatter of the seating hostesses inside. The young women had seen their approach through the glass doors and they broke off their gossip to return to work with an amused whisper of _"uh oh, look out, boyfriends at 2 o'clock"_. It was an innocent remark merely meant to indicate that they had more incoming guests to service, but Zero felt his ears turn pink. He still had a hard time considering Kaname a... _boyfriend_. Although really, what other terms were there to use? Soul mate, bondmate... perhaps more accurate, but a little dramatic and not exactly something that fit easily into conversation. Not with humans anyway, who wouldn't even understand what a bondmate was.

Kaname did not visibly react to Zero's drawing away, nor to the whispered words which he had also heard. Truth be told such words didn't bother him, not anymore. He was all right thinking of Zero as a boyfriend, he decided. Actually, it amused him a little to be referred to in such a manner. Vampires culture had far less issue with gender in relationships than many human cultures did, and that word meant something different to him when he heard it than it did to Zero.

To Zero it was embarrassing because it placed him in a role he'd never thought he'd be filling. He'd never been gay, and had no interest in men other than Kaname. Yet he realized that that was a somewhat sticky distinction to make. He knew what he and Kaname looked like and couldn't help wondering what people were thinking about when they saw them together. He knew he shouldn't care, but knowing and feeling were sometimes two different things. It made his gut curl with mortification to think that other guys might get the wrong impression and start looking him up. _Oh God... _

To Kaname, however, who was raised in a world where class distinction carried much more of a stigma than gender preference, the term had a nice ring of equality to it. A vampire would never have referred to them that way because most vampires would consider it an insult to elevate Zero to the status of being boyfriend to a pureblood. But the innocent young women here didn't see that. All they saw were two nice young men out on a date together. He liked it. He liked the feeling of being nobody in particular other than just Zero's boyfriend. Takuma had been right, this was a good idea.

Kaname stepped back slightly to let Zero enter first as the man held the door for them. The pureblood placed his hand lightly on the small of Zero's back in a natural gesture of ushering him in ahead, but he left his hand there once they were in, his arm loosely around the hunter's waist.

The hostesses inside were also appropriately attired for the flavor of the restaurant. One nodded to them in greeting as they entered, grinning a little at the cute picture the two young men made. _Damn, why was it all the gorgeous ones were taken or gay?_ "Hi, can I help you?"

Zero could practically _feel _what she was thinking and side-stepped self-consciously, trying to shake Kaname's arm. Kaname merely moved fluidly with him, his arm tightening around the other and not letting him go. Zero was being recalcitrant and Kaname was a tiny bit peeved. He brushed the side of his head lightly and intimately against Zero's shoulder as he smiled pleasantly to the hostess, more than happy to play the role of adoring boyfriend. Of all the many roles he was forced to play in his life, this was the only one he _wanted _to be. To just be Zero's. "Kuran, reservation for two," he replied.

Zero felt his body flaming with embarrassed heat under his jacket as Kaname all but forcibly held him to his side and rubbed against him. He could have jerked away more adamantly and was sorely tempted to do so, but that would probably lead to making a scene that would be even more embarrassing. In any case, it was already too late. The hostess had obviously already gotten the clear message that these two men were way more than just friends out to take in a show together. Zero wanted to melt into the floor as the woman continued to smile pleasantly and somewhat knowingly at them.

"It is good to have you with us tonight," she said as she briefly checked their reservation before nodding and gesturing for them to come with her. "Please, follow me and I will show you to your table. You're seated in a great section, you'll have a wonderful view," she added cheerfully.

_A wonderful view of me making an idiot out of myself by being here... _Zero thought uncomfortably, trying unsuccessfully to shrug Kaname off again once the hostess' back was turned. He shot his companion a warning glare, but Kaname ignored him and refused to stay away, his hand trailing lightly up and down Zero's back as their bodies remained close.

"Stop it!" Zero hissed softly through his teeth. It wasn't that he didn't like Kaname's touch... actually he liked it a little_ too _much. He was uncomfortable feeling the way Kaname was making him feel while in public. The fact that Kaname was pressuring him when he was making it obvious he'd rather the other vampire kept his distance was also pushing the ex-human's buttons. He loved Kaname, but the pureblood had an annoying ingrained streak of entitlement and he could be a real jerk on occasion.

Kaname knew he was making Zero edgy. That wasn't what he wanted, but he was becoming frustrated and a little hurt by Zero's behavior. It wasn't like he was trying to _make out_ with the hunter... did Zero _have _to act like he found his touch humiliating? Like he didn't want anyone to realize that they were anything more than friends? What kind of a date was that? This evening was going to be no fun at all if Zero insisted on being practically on the opposite side of the room from him the whole time. He didn't think it was embarrassing to be considered boyfriends... why should Zero? Kaname didn't want to hide. Not tonight. He had to do enough hiding other times. Tonight they were surrounded by a bunch of humans who didn't know them and couldn't care less and Kaname wanted to take advantage of that. He wanted to be able to just _be _with Zero and not pretend.

Kaname fixed Zero with one of his smooth, unruffled, all-knowing smiles that had a tendency to drive the hunter up the wall. "Behave, _darling_, you're going to make a scene." he murmured, leaning over and giving Zero a light kiss on the cheek. He shouldn't be fanning the flames, but there was still a point where he and Zero could simply kick off the devil in one another.

Kaname was being intentionally infuriating now and Zero knew it. His temperature and his temper spiked and Zero's palm impacted somewhat sharply on Kaname's chest, giving him a good shove. It wasn't hard enough to separate them, not with Kaname's reflexes and balance, but it _was_ enough to say he meant business and to cause them both to stagger just slightly. Zero stopped walking. "I am _not _kidding!" he hissed back, the conversation still happening too softly for their hostess or anyone else to hear. "Cut it out or I'm going home _now_!"

Kaname resisted a stab of hurt with difficulty. His smile remained, a faint, predatory glint flaring momentarily behind his eyes. "Zero, you're making people stare..." he nodded slightly towards some of the other patrons already seated at the tables they had stopped between. Although their conversation was happening too soft to overhear, the sound of Zero's hand striking the front of his suit had drawn a couple of curious glances and it was obvious something was happening between the two young men.

Zero thought he was going to die. He flushed all the way to the roots of his hair and wondered what on earth had ever made him think that going out on a date with this insufferable, incorrigible, _impossible _pureblood could possibly be a good, or even a workable idea. He loved Kaname, he did, but right now he wanted to kill him. Was a little personal space really _too _much to ask? He was uncomfortable, damn it! Why couldn't Kaname _see _that? Or didn't he care?

"The table is right over here..." Their hostess glanced back towards them to see why they had stopped moving. Her gaze silently inquired if everything was all right. Both vampires smiled innocently and quickly moved to join her. Kaname's smile a little too charming, Zero's a little too lethal and both seemed to be directed at one another rather than her.

Pretending that she didn't sense the new tension in the air and was oblivious to whatever personal issues her customers might be having, the woman led them a few more steps and gestured to an empty table with two place settings. "Any special occasion?" she added in a polite attempt at conversation and distraction.

"Just being together," Kaname replied with a charismatic smile as he intentionally leaned into Zero before finally releasing him and taking a seat.

Zero quickly took the other seat, his gaze locked on the tablecloth.

The woman made a small, appreciative sound at the notion. "That's wonderful. Well, you two enjoy. Your server will be with you shortly and the show will start in about half an hour."

As the hostess took her leave, Kaname gazed across the table at Zero and fought down a sharp twinge of guilt. His companion looked miserably embarrassed and Kaname felt both guilty andfrustrated. This wasn't what he wanted and it wasn't how he wanted this evening to start off. He wasn't _trying _to discomfit his lover, but Zero was such a sweet, frustratingly reticent clam sometimes, if Kaname didn't push him, they never got anywhere. Sometimes it was okay and he successfully got Zero to loosen up, and then other times it wasn't and the opposite would happen. He would push and Zero would close up and withdraw. Like now. It frustrated him that for all his skill, he couldn't seem to figure out the dividing line between the two reactions. He reached out for Zero's hand on the table in an honestly concerned and consolatory gesture, but Zero jerked back from him as if he were some kind of poisonous snake.

"Kaname, _please,_" Zero almost begged in a fierce, desperate whisper. "You're being an ass." His stormy violet eyes darted up to meet those gazing at him from across the table. _Why was Kaname doing this to him, completely ignoring his feelings like this?_ "Quit treating me like a possession you can trot out for your amusement!"

That hurt. That _really_ hurt. Kaname could understand Zero's hesitancy, but the words burned like acid. "I'm not treating you like a _possession_, Zero. I'm treating you like someone I'm not ashamed to _love. _Maybe _you _should quit treating me like I have leprosy and you can think of nothing worse in the world than having someone think we _might _be together!" Kaname felt like they'd had this argument before. Why was that? What was wrong with him that Zero didn't want to acknowledge him in front of others?

_You know very well what's wrong with you. You're tainted and dirty in ways you're too afraid to even tell him, you've no right to a love as pure as his and even if he doesn't know why, he can sense it... _Kaname clamped down on the painful accusations in his head, shoving them back into the dark where they belonged, although unable to repress the agony they caused.

Zero blinked, seeing the honest pain in Kaname's eyes. _Oh._ Is that what Kaname thought? That... that wasn't the impression he'd wanted to give at all... but he realized with a sinking feeling in his stomach that it would be easy to view his actions that way. _Well, crap. _

The pureblood's _do it my way_ attitude was a part of who he was. It was part of the package that Zero loved, even if it was a frustrating part. He should know better than to mistake Kaname being stubbornly amorous for Kaname discounting his feelings intentionally. Kaname _did_ discount them sometimes, but _never_ intentionally. Just like Zero realized he hurt Kaname sometimes, like now, equally unintentionally. It was inevitable in any relationship perhaps, the important thing was how you dealt with it. In the past, these kind of misunderstandings had nearly destroyed them. But this was not the past. Nor would either of them let it become that way again. What they had was worth the effort of trying to understand where the other was coming from and finding middle ground on which to meet.

"I'm sorry," Zero apologized quietly, the violet gaze softening as it held Kaname's. "I didn't mean to make you feel like that. It's not true, I _love_ being with you, but I... this is just... I'm not used to it yet, okay?" _Be patient with me... _his eyes pleaded. He didn't want Kaname to think he was ashamed of him in anyway, but neither was he comfortable being casually physically close in front of strangers.

Kaname saw the plea in Zero's eyes and he felt even guiltier. Of course he could be patient. Zero was worth any amount of patience. He should have been more considerate of his partner's comfort and not pushed him so hard before he was ready. The thought that he'd hurt Zero when the whole idea was that he wanted to show him how much he loved him made the pureblood miserable. "Okay," he replied softly. "I'm sorry too, Zero. I didn't mean to embarrass or push you into things you're uncomfortable with. If... if you want to just go home, we can," he murmured, feeling like an utter failure. Maybe this had been a doomed idea from the start.

Zero actually considered it for half a moment, but then quickly rejected the idea. No. They should stick this out. Maybe... maybe they _needed _to. He shook his head. "No, I want to be here, Kaname. _With you_."

Kaname's eyes flickered with warm relief and a small thread of hope. There was such a deep yearning for affection and approval in them that it made Zero swallow against the slight lump that appeared in his throat. Kaname acted surprisingly like he really didn't think he was worthy of love at times and it made Zero ache to prove him wrong. The pureblood was so powerful and charismatic... it was hard to understand the deep flicker of vulnerability in his eyes that was directed the hunter's way sometimes. Hard to imagine that someone as self-possessed and commanding as Kaname could honestly be so desperate for frequent confirmation of the hunter's affections and esteem.

Maybe that was part of their problem, Zero realized in an unexpected flash of insight. Maybe Kaname was insufferable because he was trying to get that assurance - acting confident to cover his insecurity. Zero had spent a lot of years hiding his feelings from everyone and it was a habit. He was not an emotionally demonstrative person by nature, but maybe on some level, Kaname needed him to be.

Steeling himself, Zero reached across the table and gave Kaname's hand a little squeeze. Kaname's gaze glittered softly, but he froze, as if afraid to move.

_Afraid to make me pull away again... _Zero realized with a soft pang. Kaname always seemed like he knew exactly what he was doing and was in complete control, but it was moments like this when Zero realized that underneath that, the pureblood was just an unsure young man who wanted very much to be loved and to not do the wrong thing. Because as unfair as it was, in Kaname's life, screwing up seemed to always be tantamount to complete disaster.

_But not with me. You don't have to be perfect with me, I promise... _Zero thought with a kind of aching fierceness. "I love you, Kaname," he whispered, refusing to notice the soft, prickly heat making his throat and ears feel hot. "You know that, right?"

Kaname blinked quickly, and Zero could have sworn that in the soft flicker of the light from the candle on the table, there was the glitter of tears in the pureblood's eyes for a moment. "Yes," he whispered back, now squeezing Zero's hand tightly. "I do." His voice said he'd needed to hear it though. Sometimes it seemed to Zero that it was almost like there was a scarred void inside Kaname that seemed to suck up all the light in his soul, convincing him that he was utterly unsuitable for affection. It was the only way to explain why Kaname looked at him with such aching wonder when he said those simple words, as if he didn't understand how Zero _could _love him. "I love you too. So much." Kaname's whisper was so soft it was like a tender, hesitant caress.

It was Zero's turn to blink back the soft sting in his eyes. He would never lose the warm thrill of joy he felt at hearing those words. Someday, perhaps, he would understand what caused that void in Kaname, but for now it was enough to simply try to fill it as best as he could. And he wanted to. He wanted to so much.

A server appeared at their table and Zero forced himself to resist the urge to pull his hand back. He wouldn't do that to Kaname, not now that he realized the pureblood was taking it all so much to heart. _He wouldn't..._

Kaname felt Zero's pulse jump and sensed his tension, even as the hunter made no move to disentangle their hands while the server introduced himself and asked if he could get them anything. The man was pleasant, and obviously avoiding looking at their clasped hands. Zero was visibly uncomfortable, but sticking it out for Kaname.

Kaname gave Zero's fingers a soft squeeze and released his hand under the pretext of reaching for one of the untouched menus. He didn't want Zero to have to feel awkward. The pureblood was glowing happily from his lover's soft words a moment ago and easily ignored the server's slight indications of unease. Who cared what he thought anyway?

Zero, relieved, reached for his menu as well. While Kaname inquired about different wine vintages, he scanned the list of offerings and tried to keep his boggled look to a minimum when he saw the prices. Out of habit, he immediately started looking for the lowest priced thing on the menu, which in this place didn't seem to mean much.

Kaname caught his eye over the top of the menu and gave him an amused look of warning as if knowing all too well what Zero was doing. Zero grinned wryly in return and gave a small shrug. _Okay, okay, message received. _Kaname seemed to find it offensive when Zero ordered by price rather than by what he actually wanted. Considering everything on the menu appeared to cost a small fortune, Zero decided _what the heck _and ordered one of the pricier items that sounded the most appetizing.

After the server left with their orders, Kaname gave Zero a wry smile. "So, think we could make him any more uneasy if we tried?" he teased ruefully, nodding towards where their server had disappeared. The man had done a good job of hiding his feelings and remaining perfectly professional, but vampire senses were keen and neither of them were fooled.

Zero raised one eyebrow, giving Kaname a slightly warning look. "Let's not try," he suggested dryly. He was willing to try to meet Kaname partway, but what he had said earlier about needing time still stood and if the pureblood thought that Zero was going to let him get all _friendly_ again while they were here, he was mistaken. Zero would not put it past Kaname to play with their waiter's foibles by being extra demonstrative in order to see his reactions, and that was _not _on Zero's menu for tonight.

"Look," the hunter said thoughtfully. "This is our first... um..."

"Date?" Kaname supplied the word helpfully with a soft touch of amusement when Zero paused for too long, seeming to stumble over the expression.

Zero nodded. "Yeah. Our first real one, anyway, right?"

Kaname nodded slowly in agreement, not quite sure where Zero was going with this. "Yes."

"So... let's treat it like that," Zero continued. "Like a first..."

"Date," Kaname supplied again with a small smile, even though Zero's pause had been a little shorter this time.

Zero smiled sardonically. "Yeah..." he agreed again, dryly. "Like that. I mean, you wouldn't be all over someone on your first date, would you?" He made sure not to pause enough on the _"d" _word this time to allow Kaname to chime in. There was a bit of a tease in Zero's tone now and the atmosphere between them had become companionable once more.

"I don't know..." the pureblood grinned with an incorrigible twinkle in his eye. "I might..."

Zero gave a soft laugh. "No, Kaname. _Aido _might, but not you. You'd be all gentlemanly charm and aloofness at first. Your insatiable twit side doesn't show until you know someone and are comfortable with them."

It was Kaname's turn to laugh. "Oh really? Do tell, it is fascinating to find out about myself. You know me so well, do you?" he teased. Zero was actually right on the money, which was part of what made it so amusing.

Zero nodded, enjoying the joking now and the lovely smile on Kaname's face. "Yes, I do," he said with mock authority.

"Well, all right then, I bow to your superior knowledge," Kaname returned, gaze twinkling. "First date behavior it is then... although I warn you, I would not usually consider holding hands or taking my date by the arm to be _'ungentlemanly' _behavior." He quirked his eyebrows.

Zero warmed a little under Kaname's gaze, not from embarrassment this time but rather from the playful fire in the pureblood's chocolate eyes. Talking about things plainly seemed to take some of the uncomfortable edge off of Zero's mood. It helped him remember that what they were doing was perfectly normal... something that people did all the time. "Hmm, well, we'll see about that," he said with a small, playfully dismissive huff.

"And of course, I might be tempted to take it farther, even so, if my date happened to be a ravishingly handsome and stubborn hunter whom I just couldn't take my eyes off of..." Kaname continued smoothly.

Zero threw his napkin at him and Kaname caught it, laughing. Their server returned with their drinks and Zero found he truly didn't care what the man thought this time as he reclaimed his napkin from Kaname and they both fixed innocent looks on the fellow as he poured their wine for them before leaving again.

Kaname raised his glass in a silent, smiling toast to Zero, who returned it before taking a sip. The wine was excellent and Zero realized that the glasses were real crystal. No wonder the food cost so much... imagine the expense if a server dropped a tray of _these. _The lights in the restaurant were comfortably low, the candles on the tables creating little puddles of illumination that let each table feel like it was a private island unto itself. Sitting here comfortably with Kaname and sipping their drinks, Zero began to relax and enjoy himself. Really... once you got over the initial awkwardness, this was kind of nice.

"How are the hunter classes coming along?" Kaname inquired after a little while. Cross Academy's Headmistress had requested Zero be a guest teacher for a couple of the classes since he was staying at the Academy with Kaname for a few weeks anyway. Zero had been reluctant to accept, but Headmistress Wren was as good at getting her way as Chairman Cross had always been.

"Should I be worried that you're training up the next generation of hunters to be as skilled as you are?" he teased with a note of true appreciation and pride.

Zero made a wry face. "Hardly. Wren just asked me to demonstrate at couple of the fighting technique classes. Master Yagari is one of the best instructors of fighting form, and I'm one of his pupils, so... you know." He shrugged it off, sipping his wine. "Honestly, I doubt it's my skills as a hunter that the Headmistress is really interested in. It's good PR for the kiddies to see one of their own who is also one of _them,_" he said quietly, omitting the word _vampire, _but implying it clearly.

Kaname's expression colored with concern. "Zero, I'm sure that's not it..."

Zero shook his head. "No, Kaname. It _is, _but... I guess I'm okay with that. I didn't choose what I am. I don't know that I'll ever be really okay with it, but I can't change it, so if it can actually do some good and help promote peace in some way then..." he shrugged a bit self-consciously. "Why not?"

Kaname gave his companion a warm smile. He was rather impressed. The Zero he had first met, the Zero he used to know, would never have been able to talk about this so calmly, nor accept the idea of peace as something desirable. Zero had changed a lot. They both had.

"Well, if there's anything I can do to help, let me know," Kaname offered and Zero nodded.

The house lights dimmed, indicating that the first part of the show was soon to begin. The evening passed pleasantly after that. The wine was good, the food was excellent and the performance was much more interesting than Zero had expected. The performing troupes that the Edo booked were as top-notch as everything else about the place. Seen through adult eyes, the scenes and story depicted made more sense than they had as a child and he was able to appreciate the artistry and the rich tradition of history woven into the performance. He'd expected to endure the evening, but instead he found himself enjoying it, a lot.

Kaname enjoyed the show as well and time passed all too quickly. As the thunderous applause for the closing sequence finally died down, everyone set about finishing up their remaining after-dinner tea and conversations while settling up their bills. Due to the nature of the dinner theater, by the time the show was ended, everyone was also ready and expected to start gradually taking their leave.

The waiter left them their check, but Kaname didn't pay right away. Like a number of the others patrons, the two vampires lingered a little while at their table, content to let the mass exodus beginning to happen around them die down a bit before they took their leave.

Kaname fingered a small velvet box hidden in his jacket pocket. His fingertips brushed across the soft burgundy nap, unconsciously tracing the contours of the jewelry box. His stomach felt suddenly tight and apprehensive as he hesitated uncertainly. _Should he? Should he do it? _Dinner was ending, if he was going to do it tonight, now was the moment.

Kaname's fingers closed tightly around the box but his hand remained in his pocket, the knot in his stomach tightening and making his heart speed up nervously. This level of hesitation to enact a course of action upon which he had already decided, this... _indecision _and second guessing was highly unusual and highly unsettling for him. Clutching the box in his pocket, he was struck by the wry, self-conscious thought that he was almost as nervous as if he was going to ask Zero to marry him or something.

Good thing he wasn't, he was fairly certain Zero really would have reacted... unpredictably... to something like that. This was slightly less certain of a disaster, yet... there was still no way to be sure how his gift would be received. Usually, that wouldn't have worried Kaname this much. Usually, Kaname waited and watched and noticed what Zero looked at or took interest in when deciding on a present and if Zero didn't end up liking the gift he could always exchange it. They were just things, tangible ways he tried to express how crazy he was about the hunter. This was different. Well... it was still meant to express the same thing, but on a much, much deeper level. What Kaname wanted to give Zero was deeply personal to the pureblood but for that very reason he feared he might be making a mistake. Might be letting what was precious to _him_ cloud his judgment on how Zero might feel about it.

Inside the box in his pocket lay a small and unimaginably unique stone, entwined in a pendant of white-gold vines that formed the shape of the Kuran family crest. It was his mother's memory-stone necklace, the one his father had given her as a wedding gift and a sign of his undying love a long time ago. In and of itself, the piece of jewelry was probably worth a not-so-small fortune, but to Kaname, it was entirely priceless. It was the only really personal thing he had left of his past and of his parents.

Kaname remembered sitting in her lap, warm and safe in her arms as she let him play with the pendant when he was still a little boy. It had always enthralled him. The rare stone and the charm placed upon it was capable of capturing and holding memories frozen in time. Haruka had had the charm bound to Juri by one of the few master vampire jewelers who knew how to do so. When she wore it - the pendant resting against her skin over her heart - it would respond to any strong emotion of hers, triggering the charm and capturing the scene inside the stone's memory like a living photo album or a home movie, made up of a million little clips and instances sprinkled across years and years of living and loving. Considering that original jewels of this type had been crafted millennia before the advent of any kind of camera, it had truly been a unique object, and it still was.

The recordings were spontaneous, but they could be played back at will once you learned the mental guidance needed to control the stone's gift. You could also erase scenes if you didn't want to keep them, which was sometimes the case since the stone could be triggered by _any_ strong emotion, including anger, pain or fear. It was easiest to trigger by love and happiness though, and in any case, those were the memories that Kaname remembered seeing stored within its shiny depths. Probably, he knew now, because she had always erased the others.

The memory stone was bound to Juri's blood, so as her son and one who carried her blood, Kaname had been able to work the stone to a degree. He loved seeing scenes from the past, with his mother and father dressed in clothes of bygone eras, smiling and adoring of one another. They weren't really "memories" exactly, as much as a brief recording of the scene taking place at the time the stone was triggered. Kaname remembered with soft amusement, how sometimes his mother would playfully cover his eyes and pull the necklace away, declaring that was enough for now, when he accidentally stumbled upon some of the more... _intimately_ happy memories she obviously had of moments with his father. Of course, he'd been much too young to understand then.

The necklace had been lost the night his parents died and Kaname had only gotten it back years later from where it had languished in Asato Ichijo's possession. It had been intended to frame Kaname for the death of his parents... but had instead ended up showing the truth of what had really happened that night. It had captured Juri's last moments in its memory and held them as a silent witness all those years until finally Kaname unlocked it and gave them voice once more.

After Rido and Asato were both gone and things had quieted down after that whole mess, Kaname had tried many times to coax from the stone any of his mother's other memories that had once been stored there. But they all seemed to have disappeared with her passing leaving only the last, violent impression that had been seared on the stone in the moments leading up to her death. That scene, Kaname had no wish to replay but neither could he manage to erase it. He could activate replay of the stone, but he could not otherwise fully control it. It had not, after all, been bound to him. So he had put the necklace aside and locked it away as a part of the past that was too dear to ever lose, but much too painful to dwell upon. That was true now about so much of his past.

A few months ago, however, after he had finally told Zero that he loved him and discovered the unthinkable joy of finding those feelings returned, Kaname had had the strength to take the necklace out again. After much deliberation, he had finally taken the stone to one of the only remaining experts in its craft and had the woman erase its memory and reset the charm. It was hard to let that part of his history go. Yet... he knew that his mother would have wanted it to become a link to a beautiful future, not a reminder of a painful past. The necklace was meant for love and dedication, not to hold ashes and sorrow.

_"Are you sure you want to do this?" the woman holding the pendant with reverent fingers looked at Kaname, as if sensing his momentary reluctance. She didn't look it, but she was very old. Few younger vampires would have been able to handle this task. This very well might be one of the only ancient memory stones still in existence in the world._

_Kaname did not hesitate. He already knew what he wanted and he simply nodded. "Yes. Release it." _

_A few minutes later, he was surprised to see the once crimson stone turn a milky, pearlescent white. Reading his shock easily, the jeweler was quick to reassure him. "Do not fear, this is the memory stone's natural color when it is blank and unbound. When it is paired with someone else's blood, it's color will darken back to that which you are accustomed," she promised. _

_"Would Kuran-sama like for the stone to be initialized for his use? I will need a drop of your blood for that, but only, of course, if you wish," she added with the natural deference always given to a pureblood's life essence. _

_Kaname shook his head, reaching into his pocket. "No, not to me." He handed the woman a small vial of dark red blood. "Can you bind it to this?" _

Now, just as the jeweler had said, the stone was again a deep, rich garnet color. It was a different hue than before though. In certain light it almost looked more royal plum, like arterial blood seen through the filter of creamy skin... or like the depths of a certain someone's eyes when the lights were out and their normally lighter shade was darkened with passion.

Kaname forced himself to stop squeezing the box in his pocket before he accidentally squeezed too much and damaged it. He wanted Zero to have this. He wanted to pass it on like a family tradition, and a promise of how utterly special and utterly beloved Zero was. But... he hesitated to give Zero a _necklace _and one that had belonged to his _mother. _He'd had it hung on a thin, high-quality leather cord instead of a chain and although it was delicate and graceful, the pendant in and of itself wasn't necessarily overly feminine, but still... he wasn't sure.

Zero _did_ wear jewelry, of a kind. His multiple piercings attested to that. Zero tended to wear mostly silver earrings, which complimented his coloring very nicely, but which also gave Kaname the feeling that the hunter had probably started with them more out of rebellion against what he was becoming then as a style statement. Piercing his body with silver was probably another example of Zero stabbing against his growing vampire nature. He didn't seem to react badly to the metal like some vampires did however, and now Kaname fancied the hunter had simply grown used to them. The pureblood certainly enjoyed the way they looked on him and he _loved _playing his tongue against them. He'd often wondered if Zero would think it presumptuous of him if he bought earrings for him, but he hadn't tried it yet.

One thing Kaname hadn't really seen though, was Zero wearing a necklace. Kaname had had the pendant re-plated in white gold to go better with his lover's coloring and his other jewelry, but he couldn't help fearing that that wasn't enough. Was it too girly of a gift to give him? Would Zero take it as a slight to his manhood or a sign that Kaname was trying to treat him like something he wasn't?

Kaname bit the inside of his lip. _Damn... _he thought he'd already resolved all this in his mind before he brought the box along this evening, but now... things were going so well and he was hesitant to push his luck or spring more on Zero than the other might be ready for. He'd already almost pushed Zero too much earlier, he didn't want to repeat that mistake.

It wasn't as if he thought Zero would outright spurn his gift, of course not. Zero was a very sensitive person underneath his habitual act, and if he saw that this meant a lot to Kaname, he would probably make an effort to respond appropriately... but that wasn't what the pureblood wanted. He was aware that he and Zero had very different views on many things and Kaname didn't want to hurt Zero unintentionally by doing something just because it meant something to _him._ He wanted this to be special to Zero too, he didn't want him to misunderstand.

"Earth to Kaname..." Zero's amused voice broke into Kaname's thoughts, almost making the pureblood start. He hadn't realized he'd become so lost in his own thoughts.

"Hm?" Kaname asked, his gaze settling quickly on his companion as he tried to recall whatever it was that Zero must have said which he didn't hear. The other tables were starting to empty in earnest now and busboys were beginning to make their rounds, cleaning up.

Zero raised his eyebrows at Kaname's somewhat cute distraction. "I said there's a little tea left, do you want it?" he offered, giving the small teapot a little lift as he did.

"No," Kaname shook his head. "I'm good. you go ahead."

"Okay. Everything all right?" Zero refilled his cup with the remaining tea from the pot. The tea had cooled enough to allow him to finish it in a few swallows.

Kaname inclined his head in an affirmative. "Yes, just thinking. Sorry. Did you enjoy the performance?"

Zero set his empty tea cup down and nodded slowly. "Yes, I did. More than I thought I would, actually," he admitted honestly with a wry quirk to his smile. "My parents took me to see Kabuki when I was a kid and I remember it, uh... dragging, a bit. This was a lot better."

Kaname smiled ruefully in response. Of course... Kabuki wasn't for everyone. Just because he enjoyed something, didn't necessarily mean Zero would. He knew that... yet he always forgot. He was just too used to leading, he didn't know how to not. "I'm sorry, Zero. I should have asked you if you would have rather gone someplace else..." he said quietly.

Zero gave a faintly exasperated look and quickly shook his head. That wasn't what he had intended to make Kaname feel. "No, Kaname... that's not what I meant. I'm glad we came here. I had a really good time and I would never have tried it without you." He reached across the table and squeezed Kaname's hand lightly. "Thanks."

Kaname squeezed Zero's hand back, relieved to hear that Zero had enjoyed himself and warmed by the softness in his lover's eyes. Kaname drew Zero's knuckles to his mouth and pressed his lips gently against them. Zero ducked his head in embarrassment and looked down at the table, but he didn't pull his hand away. Impulsively, without looking around or caring who might see, Kaname gave Zero's arm a small tug, pulling him a little more forward as he leaned across the small table to meet him, kissing Zero lightly on the lips.

Zero seemed surprised and he froze uncertainly, but he didn't fight. Kaname felt the ghost of a return kiss before the hunter quickly sat back down in his chair, gaze darting automatically around the room, his cheeks flushed pink. Zero had definitely reacted much better than earlier, attesting to his much more relaxed state now, but he was still not the kiss-in-public type. Not yet.

Zero's heart pounded, stirring his blood in ways that were delicious and completely inappropriate for where they were. Yet his hand was still in Kaname's and he refused to pull it away. He'd let nothing pull him away from Kaname, not even his own hesitancy and awkwardness. "Uh... Kaname... first date, remember?" he murmured softly, but his voice was a trifle husky, unintentionally inviting a reaction opposite to that which his words might intend.

"I remember..." Kaname whispered back, equally husky. His thumb brushed the other's knuckles tenderly, his heart swollen with the expansive weight of his feelings for this boy. His eyes were deep and intense and Zero felt his stomach flip-flopping pleasantly. For a moment, the rest of the world ceased to exist for Zero. Kaname was all there was - that beautiful face and those ageless eyes holding him enraptured.

Kaname's free hand, still in his pocket, tightened around the jewelry box again. _Maybe.... maybe now..._

The moment seemed to spin out, long, sweet and perfect. Then a clatter of dishes and glasses being removed from the table beside them brought reality back to the couple and they seemed to shake them out of their daze.

"So, um... we should probably go and let them clean up?" Zero murmured, finally releasing Kaname's hand and rising to his feet. The dining room was almost empty now, save for a few tables here and there where people lingered, like them.

Kaname nodded, also rising. He released the box, letting it settle back into his pocket and withdrawing his hand. The moment had passed. _Another time, perhaps. Maybe another time would be better, another day. There was no rush, right?_

_Chicken, _his mind accused, and he didn't bother to refute it. Yes. Yes he was chickening out, but he didn't want to risk spoiling the evening. It had been lovely.

Zero collected his jacket from the back of his chair and shrugged back into it while Kaname dealt with the bill and the tip. The night was beautiful and clear as they exited the restaurant, heading unhurriedly towards where the chauffer waited for them.

The stars had come out overhead and the full moon hung like silver ball in the sky. The Edo was nestled in a small, scenic area adjacent to several parks and a large lake. Lights had sprung to life in the shops along the avenues and boardwalks edging the lake and small decorative bulbs twinkled in the trees, making it look like some of the stars had fallen to rest among their blossoming branches.

Zero tilted his face into to the breeze. It carried the soft scents of the nearby park and the small cafes lining the avenue. It was a beautiful night, and suddenly he really didn't want to get back into the car and just go home. Before he could talk himself into keeping quiet, he turned to his companion.

"Kaname... let's walk home," he said impulsively, feeling the tug of the cool air and the stars, unable to resist the urge to wander through both with Kaname.

Kaname was equally aware of the charm of the evening. He was surprised and pleased by Zero's suggestion. It would be a pretty long walk, but hardly an issue for the two of them and there was definitely something delightfully compelling about the idea of strolling down the cozy boulevards and enjoying the peace of the night with the hunter at his side.

"All right. I'll send the car back." Kaname spoke to the driver for a minute and then returned to Zero's side. They took a shortcut through the parking lot and crossed a small street in order to gain the appealing boardwalk. Music from somewhere in the distance hummed softly on the night breeze.

Kaname and Zero walked companionably close to one another, shoulders brushing every now and again. The evening was late, but not late enough to have completely cleared the boardwalk. Here and there people passed by or sat outside cafes sipping tea, coffee or wine in the soft glow of candlelit tables. Yet despite the light hum of civilization around them, it felt like the evening was made for just the two of them. No one paid attention to them and they paid attention to no one else. Tonight they were just another pair of friends or lovers strolling down the street under the moonlight.

Kaname in particular felt a contented relief at being able to just blend into the background and be with Zero without knowing that eyes were following him everywhere. He couldn't do that in vampire society. They always knew who and what he was and eyes drew to him automatically. But he sensed no vampires nearby, only a comfortable, oblivious flow of humanity that neither realized they should fear him, nor cared a wit about the purity of his blood. The anonymity was relaxing and having Zero by his side was intoxicating.

Zero glanced up at the sky, seeing the sprawling spread of stars, still visible around the lights of the city. He'd always thought them beautiful, but remote. On sleepless nights in the past, as darkness tugged at his growing nocturnal instincts and highlighted the dreaded struggle with what he was becoming, the stars had seemed distant and cold - holding their beauty apart and mocking his inability to control what was happening to him. Tonight though, the stars seemed friendly, as if they were shining in the heavens just for the enjoyment of the people out strolling in the dark.

The stars hadn't changed, of course. Zero knew that he was the one who had changed. Somewhere along the way, he'd lost the edge of barely contained despair that used to rule his world and had found a reason to actually look forward to the future. A handsome, compelling reason who was walking quietly beside him.

Zero felt a soft surge of longing, and before he could talk himself out of it, he shifted his arm. Bridging the couple inches of distance between them, the ex-human slipped his hand into Kaname's. He didn't have to do this, Kaname had obviously accepted taking things at his pace and wasn't pushing him anymore, but... Zero _wanted _to do it. He resolutely threaded their fingers together. If he wanted to walk hand in hand with someone he loved deeply on a beautiful night, then he would do it. So what if it meant people probably thought "boyfriends" instead of just "friends" when they glanced their way? He wasn't ashamed of Kaname, and the rest of the world could just think what it pleased.

Kaname's step almost faltered as Zero's warm fingers slid into his, their palms clasping lightly as their arms dangled between them. It was unlike Zero to make public gestures of any kind, and the fact that the hunter didn't seem to mind if anyone saw them like that warmed the pureblood deeply. His fingers curled around Zero's and he fixed him with a bright, quiet smile.

Zero felt his heart skip a little at the look of slight surprise and sheer adoration that Kaname fixed upon him. It made a small lump rise in his throat and he squeezed Kaname's hand tenderly. The night was beautiful and perfect as they continued to stroll down the walk, hand in hand under the stars.


	4. Ice Cream and Kisses

_A/N: Chapter Four, in which we prove that Kaname and Zero can't seem to go more than fifty paces without touching each other in some way... XD Don't blame me for all the sweet and silly fluff - the boys totally took over this chapter and did what they wanted to do, I just came along for the ride. Please note that there are a few more scattered references to events from my fic "Crimson Door" in this chapter. Oh, and just because this chapter mentions food, I _must _give a nod to YenGirl, who has forever influenced the way I look at Kaname, Zero and food. LOL _

**Chapter Four: "Ice Cream and Kisses"**

As they walked, Kaname found himself sneaking glances at Zero. The hunter's silver hair was painted with the shifting hues of the night and the different colored lights around them. The ends of his hair just brushed the crisp, white open collar of his dress shirt. The darker lines of his tattoo peaking out around the collar automatically drew the eye to the smooth, sinuous curve of the younger vampire's throat...

"We just ate, Kaname, you still hungry?" Zero's soft, wry voice made Kaname realize that he'd been staring at Zero's neck. The hunter had obviously already noticed.

Kaname's eyes flitted away and he gave a small, almost embarrassed shrug before his gaze slid back to meet Zero's. "No, you know it's not that, Zero," he said with a small smile. The need for sustenance had _nothing _to do with Kaname's attraction to his bondmate. "You're just so perfect," he whispered softly. "I can't help admiring."

Zero half grinned, half grimaced self-consciously and ducked his head. He never knew what to do when Kaname said things like... like _that_. In the beginning, he'd thought Kaname was teasing and making fun of him, but now he knew the pureblood was quite serious, which actually flustered him a lot more. _Perfect? Not even half-assed close. __**Kaname**_ _was perfect. With his dark hair fading into the night, his creamy skin contrasting against his dark suit, his eyes that seemed to catch and hold the starlight, reflecting it back like an ageless, fathomless pool..._ Zero swallowed softly.

"You're such a sappy idiot," Zero mumbled as they continued walking, but there was no mistaking the warmth in his voice.

Kaname's lips quirked into a smile. "..Says the emotional retard," he responded, giving the term all the affection of an endearment.

Zero gave him an amused sideways glare and elbowed Kaname lightly in the ribs. Kaname elbowed him back and in a moment they were both shoving back and forth as they walked like a couple of children, soft laughter dancing between them. They were being incredibly silly and they knew it, but it felt kind of good to just _be_ silly for a moment, before they had to remember where they were and who they were and be adults again.

"Why - don't - you - grow - up!" Zero gasped out, chuckling as he and Kaname weaved a bit on the sidewalk, each pretending to try to make the other stumble first. He felt rather juvenile and he just knew that they were probably attracting attention, but he was loving the soft, musical sound of Kaname's laughter too much to care. It was not something he heard very often. Kaname would chuckle or look amused, but outright laughter from the pureblood was rare. Zero liked it. He thought that it suited his lover very well.

"After - you..." Kaname shot back with a charmingly devilish grin. Zero looking happy and carefree just enthralled him. The ex-human was so beautiful when he smiled and stopped looking all serious for a little while. Kaname had never found much to laugh about in his life. He'd not had a childhood with friends he could joke with like this. Not that he hadn't had friends, but no one would dared tease him. No one but Zero would have dreamed of jostling and elbowing him like this and treating him so... so _normal_. Being put on a pureblood pedestal was a lonely business, thank God Zero was never like that. For the first time in his life, Kaname was learning what it was like to be happy.

Zero grabbed Kaname's arm to keep from being shoved again and Kaname grabbed a fist full of his shirt for balance and leverage. Then suddenly they both seemed to realize at the same moment how very close together they were, their bodies half pressed against one another, laughing, smiling faces inches apart.

"You make me so happy, Zero," Kaname breathed softly, almost breathlessly. The words that were running through his mind came out before he had a chance to evaluate them.

Zero blinked, his heart suddenly pounding. "Yeah?" he whispered, his voice a little husky suddenly. He couldn't have said why, but that thought filled him with a radiant glow.

"Yeah," Kaname whispered back... and suddenly his hands were in Zero's hair. A soft, light grip that guided more than pulled Zero's head to his and their lips met.

Zero inhaled shakily, unintentionally drawing Kaname's rich scent deep into his lungs as their warm mouths pressed together in a soft, totally unexpected kiss. He felt Kaname shudder against him, felt the pureblood's hands in his hair, felt his own bright, burning love for this man expand in his chest and before he realized what he was doing, Zero had grabbed Kaname's shoulder, holding onto him as the pureblood's warm tongue played teasingly between his already parted lips.

It was a brief, but magical moment. Then they were separated again, staring at each other, breathing rapidly as the sounds of their surroundings suddenly became audible again.

Zero flushed deeply. _Oh. My. God. _He had just kissed Kaname on the freaking _sidewalk_. Didn't get much more public than that, did it? To be honest, people really weren't paying that much attention to them. On a night like this, it was hardly unusual to see young couples displaying their affection and those who did glance their way merely smiled and kept on about their business.

Kaname was wearing a stunningly beautiful stupid grin that made Zero want to either vanish into the pavement, or kiss the pureblood completely breathless.

"Oh, look! Let's go in here," Zero said quickly, all but rushing the words out as he hurried to try and get away from anyone who was looking at them and to distract himself from how damn kissable Kaname continued to look. Zero strode quickly and purposefully into a little ice cream shop that was right next to them and Kaname followed slowly, the same contented, silly grin still on his face.

"I didn't think you liked ice cream," the pureblood commented innocently as he joined Zero at the counter.

To be honest, Zero hadn't really meant to get anything, but now that he was in the store and standing at the counter with the man behind it looking at him expectantly, it would look stupid not to order. Especially with Kaname standing there giving him _that _look.

"I like it fine," he mumbled. Usually he found it a little sweet for his tastes, although there were some flavors he liked, especially if he was in the mood for it. At the moment, he wasn't, but a display of toasty, cream-cheese filled jumbo pretzels saved him. "I'll take one of those," he said, pointing at the pretzel.

The man behind the counter nodded and glanced towards Kaname. "And you, sir?"

Kaname glanced at the ice cream tubs in the refrigerator case under the glass. "I'll have a scoop of Pistachio."

Zero gave Kaname a slightly surprised look, not having expected the pureblood to actually order anything, but Kaname just shrugged. "What? It looks good," he said with a small smile.

The man handed Zero his pretzel in a napkin and started to scoop Kaname's ice cream. "Ah, in a cup please," Kaname corrected when the man started to reach for a cone.

Kaname began to pull out his wallet as the man scooped the ice cream into a cup and stuck a little white spoon into it, but Zero touched his arm and shook his head. "I got it," he said, pulling a couple of bills out of his pocket and paying for his pretzel and Kaname's ice cream. It had been his idea, after all.

Kaname acquiesced easily and slid his wallet back into his jacket pocket. "Well then, desert's on you," he said with a grin as he picked up his ice cream, carefully wrapping the little paper cup in a layer of napkins. Zero wasn't sure if that was to keep his hand from getting cold or to protect against the bit of ice cream that had gotten on the side of the cup when it was served.

Zero grinned, biting into his pretzel as they left the shop, continuing their walk down the avenue. "Considering what dinner cost, I think I got the better end of this deal..."

Kaname chuckled as he licked the top of his ice cream scoop while they walked. "Well, in that case _you're _buying dinner next time."

"Sure," Zero agreed amiably, a twinkle of mischief in his eyes. "You like Hungry Burger, right?"

Kaname broke out laughing again. "I suppose that will serve. Zero, with you I'd go anywhere."

"Watch out, I might hold you to that," Zero said with a contented smile, continuing to munch. Truth was, the pretzel was actually really good and he was enjoying the light, salty after-dinner snack.

Kaname appeared to be enjoying his ice cream as well and had licked it down almost to the rim of the cup, carefully avoiding dislodging the little spoon still stuck to one side.

Zero tilted his head quizzically. "Kaname, why'd you get it in a cup if you're going to lick it?" he inquired.

Kaname lifted his head, nimble tongue deftly swiping a bit of pale green ice cream from his lower lip in a way that made Zero's insides warm a bit. He gave the ex-human an innocently sheepish look, his cheeks actually coloring just slightly as if he'd been caught doing something improper like slurping soup out of the bowl, but hadn't expected Zero to notice. "Well... I like to lick it," he admitted. "But it's not... you know."

It was Zero's turn to laugh. "Dignified?" he supplied. "You're worried about the _dignified _way to eat ice cream?"

Kaname gave him a wry glare. "You can't get all the ice cream out of a cone," he muttered, defending his choice defiantly.

"You _can _but you have to bite the cone and risk getting your face messy..." Zero teased. "Do you mean to tell me you've _never _bitten an ice cream cone?"

Kaname just raised an eyebrow and scooped up a spoonful of ice cream, popping it into his mouth. Zero knew that that was a yes. Kaname's fastidiousness regarding food was highly amusing considering that drinking blood wasn't always exactly a neat process... but somehow, that was just different.

"Okay, next time you are _definitely _getting a cone, and I will show you how to get the center bit out. You can eat the bottom off the cone too, you know, and suck it out that way."

Kaname looked mildly horrified by the notion. "Sounds sticky."

"It is," Zero agreed. "And fun. Geez..." Zero stopped himself short of saying something along the lines of _what, did you grow up in a cave? _Because in a way, Kaname had, only it was more like an ice fortress as he understood it. Given the way people treated Kaname now, Zero just bet he had had no kind of childhood at all. Zero's may have been torn away all too soon, but at least he _had _had one. While Zero and Ichiru were launching cheerios across the breakfast table at one another with their spoons as catapults, Kaname had probably been dining with adults and expected to know the difference between a fish fork and a salad fork.

_Wait... was there such a thing as a fish fork? _Zero wasn't sure.

That thought kind of made Zero a little sad. The one about Kaname, not the one about the fish forks. He felt like he'd like to make up for what Kaname had missed somehow. Silly to feel that way, he supposed, but he couldn't help it.

"Biting, sucking... you know, I'm surprised this is a problem for you," Zero teased as he finished the last bite of his pretzel.

Kaname eyed him, feeling perhaps that the hunter was having just a wee bit too much fun at his expense. "Oh, I'm very good at _biting _and _sucking,_" he replied suggestively. "Maybe I just don't like to waste my talents on inanimate food objects..."

"Yeah, or maybe you're just prissy." Zero chose to studiously ignore the silky, seductive tone in Kaname's voice, despite the way it made the pit of his stomach quiver. "Well, don't worry. If, horror of horrors, you mess up your pretty face I can always lick it off for you..." he joked in half-distracted threat. He was looking around for a trash can in which to dispose of his napkin and thus engaged, he paid less attention than he should have to how his words sounded. Distracted, he didn't immediately see the glint in Kaname's eyes nor realize what he'd done. Not finding a trash can, he tucked the napkin in his pocket instead.

Kaname apparently considered a threat like that to be more of an incentive than a deterrent. With a twinkle in his eyes, he pressed his mouth against his ice cream, coming away with a creamy ring around his lips and on the end of his chin. "Okay," he said. He'd acted impulsively and his cheeks were somewhat attractively flushed. Having something cold dripping down his chin felt weird and any number of people he knew would have absolute conniptions if they saw him like this. But the look on Zero's face was worth it.

The hunter's expression went blank and his eyes wide. "W-what? No! I didn't mean..."

Kaname had stopped walking and was standing there, looking at him expectantly, an incredibly adorable figure with ice cream all around his mouth. "You said you would. Are you going back on your word, Zero?"

Zero couldn't believe Kaname had done that or was doing _this_. "That wasn't what I... not _now_! Not _here!_" he sputtered, his embarrassment endearing.

Kaname folded his arms stubbornly, or half-folded them as much as he could while holding an ice cream cup. "Zero, I am standing here on the sidewalk, in public, looking positively ridiculous with ice cream on my face. You know I don't like looking ridiculous. If you do not take care of this for me I am going to be very upset. And when I get very upset, windows tend to break. There are a lot of windows on this street and I would hate for that to happen..." Kaname said calmly, mischievous fire dancing in his all too serious eyes.

Zero goggled at him. _Who are you, what planet are you from and what have you done with Kaname? _He'd been thinking he'd like to give Kaname a little taste of normal childhood, not have him _act _like a child. He couldn't believe what he was hearing, Kaname wasn't _serious...?! _"WHAT? _God_, are you seriously threatening to throw a temper tantrum like a _two year old _if I don't... don't l-lick you?!"

Zero immediately regretted saying it and especially saying it so loudly. His face and ears flamed and he hoped no one possibly within earshot was paying attention. The situation was embarrassing enough, and _that_ had sounded way worse than it actually was.

Kaname seemed to enjoy Zero's cute wide-eyed horror at realizing what his own words had sounded like. He smirked, betraying that there may be a method to his madness. The last thing Zero seemed to want to do, after all was draw attention or make a scene. "Maybe. Is it working?"

"I don't _believe_ you," Zero shook his head, looking peeved. Glancing around, he grabbed Kaname by the shoulder and dragged him quickly into the dark, concealing shadows of a small alleyway that led off from the main thoroughfare. He shoved the pureblood's back up against the brick wall of the nearest building, planting his palms against the wall on either side of Kaname's head.

Kaname felt the rough brick of the wall behind him even through his light suit coat and he was incredibly aware of Zero's body so close to his that they were brushing, but not quite pressing against one another. His heart jumped and his lips unintentionally parted slightly, pulse beginning to hammer as Zero's breath brushed his face.

The hunter's head was bowed close. He leaned in and ran the tip of his warm tongue lightly along the corner of Kaname's mouth before pulling back slightly as if testing the flavor of the ice cream on the pureblood's skin. Head still bowed a little, Zero gazed up at Kaname, amethyst eyes smoldering from under a silver curtain of hair that was hanging in his face. Kaname felt his knees go weak.

"Taste good...?" the pureblood murmured huskily in playful tones. Kaname had just been having Zero on and he hoped the hunter wasn't really mad. A little peeved though... that was okay... Zero was so unforgivably irresistible when he was indignant like this.

Pinning Kaname with his body, Zero leaned in with a soft growl and started licking the melted ice cream off the pureblood's face in earnest. _Taste good? Kaname had no idea... _the ice cream was sweet, but it was Kaname who was the treat. Zero had started this as a frustrated way of getting Kaname off his case... but as Kaname's scent once again surrounded him and he felt the smooth, silky surface of the pureblood's body under his tongue, the ex-human found his own heart speeding up and his breath coming faster.

Zero's fingers curled against the wall, the rough brick digging into his fingertips a bit as he gripped it tighter, leaning more of his bodyweight against Kaname. His strong tongue lapped slowly along the pureblood's jaw, exploring and caressing as much as cleaning. With defiant deliberateness, Zero licked all around Kaname's mouth, sucking the sweet cream from him with lavish attentiveness.

Kaname shivered, the sound of his heart throbbing in his ears as Zero's body pressed him to the wall, the hunter's warm breath caressing his skin while his tongue teased and enticed. Zero licked slowly up and down beneath Kaname's lower lip, never quite making contact with his mouth, but flicking his tongue against the underside of the moist swell.

Zero could feel Kaname's pulse racing and see the deepening arousal opening up in those intense chocolate eyes, so he moved even more deliberately. Slowly, he trailed his lips across the corner of Kaname's mouth... then finally, he ran his tongue along Kaname's upper lip and he felt the pureblood inhale sharply. He took the lower lip last, licking slowly before sucking it into his mouth and playing his teeth along the velvety flesh, tasting the sweetness of the ice cream and the different sort of sweetness that was Kaname's moist skin. _Okay... this wasn't really so bad after all... _

Still playfully annoyed, Zero couldn't resist taking a wee bit of revenge. His knee slipped between Kaname's thighs, pushing his lover's legs apart as he leaned against him, his tongue delving possessively into Kaname's mouth now.

Kaname exhaled in agonized delight, melting into Zero and returning his kiss hungrily, unintentionally rocking against Zero's firm thigh. He forgot himself and almost accidentally dropped the ice cream he was still holding, but Zero caught it. His fingers curled around Kaname's which now seemed nerveless and unable to hold onto the paper cup. Kaname groaned softly, his free arm wrapped around Zero's back and knotted in his jacket.

"Don't spill your ice cream..." Zero murmured huskily against Kaname's mouth. Zero was quite turned on, especially by Kaname's reactions, but he knew the pureblood was already much further gone down that road. As his tongue caressed Kaname's sheathed fangs and he felt the lithe body shuddering under him, he realized that he could probably demanded that Kaname let him take him right here in the alley and in this moment of weakness, the pureblood would acquiesce. Such was the power Zero held over him.

Zero's free hand curled lightly in Kaname's hair, soft awe tingling through him. Was it any wonder then, that Kaname found it hard to understand Zero's own reluctance to let things get out of hand in places where they weren't safe? It was probably a good thing for Kaname at this moment that Zero felt that way though... because he found that he suddenly very much wanted to do exactly what he'd just been thinking about... but he knew he shouldn't. The alley was way too public.

After a few more heartbeats, Zero disentangled himself with a deep, rueful smile. Kaname was still leaning against the wall, his chest heaving and his rumpled clothing making him not the most dignified picture in the world... but definitely one of the sweetest and most desirable.

Zero pulled off one of the clean, outer napkins with which Kaname had wrapped the ice cream cup. Then he released the cup, after curling Kaname's fingers tightly around it to be sure he wouldn't drop it again. Using the napkin, Zero cleaned Kaname's face for real before wiping his own mouth and then wadding the napkin up.

"Well, you're all clean now, so let's go..." he said, raising his eyebrows as he moved back towards the sidewalk.

"Zero!" Kaname protested breathlessly, looking supremely frustrated and very hungry. Zero might have felt a little worse for him if he hadn't been such a brat a few minutes ago.

The hunter leveled the pureblood with an innocent look. "What?"

Kaname seemed to sense that he was getting payback for his behavior earlier and he gave the ex-human a resigned, dirty look. For a moment it seemed like he might grab Zero and drag him forcibly back into the alley... but then he drew in a deep breath and visibly tried to compose himself. He'd had enough of a breather now to let reason return and tell him that here and now was neither the time nor the place.

Straightening his clothes with exaggerated dignity, Kaname strode out of the ally and scooped up another bite of his now melting ice cream. His hand trembled a bit on the spoon, but he controlled it. "You are going to pay for that when we get home..." the pureblood promised in an overly pleasant tone, his smile supremely cheerful.

Zero grinned, a warm pulse running through his groin. "Hey, you started it..." he pointed out.

Kaname, who knew he had, chuckled. "Want some ice cream?" he offered Zero some of his remaining treat as they started walking again.

"No, thanks," Zero declined. "It tastes better off of you." His voice was completely deadpan, but his eyes twinkled a little as Kaname shot him a quick, assessing gaze. Was it just him, or was his adorably uptight hunter loosening up a tad?

"Mm, really, I'll have to remember that," the pureblood said speculatively. He finished his ice cream and they finally found a waste can to dispose of their trash.

A few blocks further on, Zero unintentionally tensed slightly as he felt the unmistakable presence of other vampires nearby. More than one. It wasn't unusual, he often passed them in the street without a word. Vampires were quietly threaded into the fabric of human life everywhere and the world was oblivious to it. A moment later, however, he realized that there was something ever so vaguely familiar about these presences. At least, they didn't seem to rate very high on his threat meter.

Kaname had apparently picked up on the others' presence as well, but had also already recognized who they were. He had call to know them quite well. With a small smile he pulled Zero to a brief pause and inclined his head towards a lovely outdoor cafe across the street. Warm light spilled from the cafe's windows and dappled the tables set up in the courtyard beside the walk. In a corner, seeped in shadows easily penetrated only by vampire vision, Zero recognized the tall figure of Kain and the shorter, feminine figure of Ruka. The two vampires sat across the table from one another, staring at each other with warm, much-more-than-friendly eyes.

Zero glanced towards Kaname and unless the light was playing tricks on him, he thought that the pureblood looked very pleased. Kaname started walking again and Zero followed. The pureblood beside him had almost disappeared in his senses, indicating that Kaname was intentionally trying to hide his aura until they were further away, to avoid Ruka or Kain noticing his presence nearby. Zero kind of thought they had looked a little too preoccupied to be noticing much of anything other than each other at the moment.

Kaname slipped his hand into Zero's again and they walked on contentedly.

"Nice to see everyone's having a good evening," Zero commented once they were out of possible earshot of the other couple.

Kaname nodded. "I'm glad. I thought for a while..." he trailed off and glanced away, surprised that he had started to speak his thoughts out loud, although that happened often with Zero. He felt safe enough to share just about everything with the hunter.

Zero cocked his head to the side, looking over at Kaname. "Thought what?" he inquired, seeing the pureblood's hesitance.

"I thought perhaps I'd made it impossible for Ruka to ever be happy," Kaname confessed softly. "I... drank her blood, once, long ago." He realized suddenly that Zero probably didn't know. He'd never told him about that. It was in the past and shouldn't matter, but he still paused slightly to try and judge Zero's reaction.

Zero raised his eyebrows at that bit of new information. It had always been obvious that both Ruka and Aido were in love with Kaname in their own ways... and perhaps in a slightly more than strictly platonic sense. Add the effects of a pureblood bite to that and it was no wonder Ruka had looked at the hunter like she had a constant urge to gut him in the beginning. He couldn't blame her. He couldn't even imagine how he'd feel if Kaname ever looked at someone else with the soft, deep look he reserved just for Zero or if he ever saw the pureblood's warm lips trailing across someone else's skin...

Zero smiled ruefully as he fought back the uncomfortable knot in his chest just at the mere thought. "_Whoa, okay, let's not borrow trouble, Kiriyu," _he chastised himself in self deprecating amusement. He realized Kaname was watching him carefully for a reaction and squeezed the other vampire's fingers tighter, silently conveying that he was okay with this topic and encouraging the pureblood to continue.

Heartened by Zero's support and lack of negative reaction, Kaname pressed on quietly. "She offered it to me, so I wouldn't bite Yuki in a moment of weakness when she was still a child. It was a kind offer I shouldn't have accepted, but..." _but I was so desperate, not just for blood, but to fill the dark emptiness, to not have to feel alone for a few moments. She offered that freely and I used it. _Kaname watched the pavement as they walked, giving a little shrug. "A blind man could see the way Kain looks at her," he changed gears slightly. "I'm glad they're working things out."

Zero untangled their fingers and laid his hand lightly on Kaname's back, making the other look towards him. "I'm glad too," he said quietly. "And hey, don't blame yourself because people love you. Some of us can't help it..." he murmured with a deep, warm look in his violet gaze.

Kaname smiled back with equal warmth. Light, contentedness replaced the old, remembered feelings of heaviness inside him. He wasn't lonely anymore and he didn't have to feel guilty, like he was stealing happiness from others' lives in order to support his own. He had all the happiness he could want right here.

The cafes had given way to shops and houses now, the lights from inside those that were still open casting yellow squares of light onto the sidewalk. There were more closed shops out here and fewer people, the sidewalk becoming quieter and less populated. Ahead of them on their side of the street, the dotted path of the street lamps continued on to the horizon, the town lights twinkling like scattered stars. On the opposite side of the street, the lights beyond the street lamps failed away into a dark void. The park was that way, and they could just catch the scent of the lake in the breeze that was blowing off of it as the food smells receded.

Kaname's dark, adoring eyes were enchanting and Zero felt himself transfixed. He swallowed, his throat feeling inexplicably dry and his mind hazy and stupid as he looked for something to say because if he stayed silent, he was probably going to kiss Kaname again and they'd already done a rather lot more of that than he'd intended tonight. They _could _walk more than a hundred yards without needing to stop to kiss, _damn it_...

"Well, it could have been worse... at least it wasn't Aido, right?" he teased Kaname, trying to make his voice work and trying to stop staring at those damn, gorgeous, soul-stealing eyes.

Kaname's lips quirked in a wry, slightly guilty smile.

Zero almost tripped at what the look implied. "Oh, don't tell me..."

Kaname looked slightly embarrassed, but also amused. He didn't have to be sharing all this with Zero, but somehow it felt right to do so, and Zero didn't seem to take offence. "He offered," Kaname said with a small, teasing smile.

The pureblood obviously felt less bad about whatever had happened with Aido, and was apparently finding it amusing to see if he could make Zero just a little jealous.

"Oh, I bet he did," Zero returned, playing along almost without intending to. He attempted to look disgruntled but was unable to help the hint of a smile that played at the corners of his lips. Somehow he just couldn't feel very concerned about Aido.

The pureblood chuckled. "It was before we were together, Zero," he promised lightly, although with a small, serious undertone just in case Zero didn't catch that he was teasing and might actually feel hurt or anything.

"I know," Zero replied softly. He knew it was before, because he knew that if Kaname wanted blood now, he would only come to him.

Kaname stopped walking, giving him another one of those sweet, utterly derailing looks and Zero suddenly realized how arrogant that could have sounded. He hadn't meant to seem quite so cocky or confident of Kaname's feelings and he grimaced in embarrassment. _Oops... Kaname must be rubbing off on him way too much. _

Kaname, however, found it precious that Zero simply trusted him as a matter of course. He _wanted _Zero to feel that confident in his love and it pleased him to no end.

"So, um... what happened?" Zero asked, starting to walk again. Only partially because he wanted to know and partially to keep the conversation moving.

Kaname fell back into step with Zero. "Not much," he said simply. "I needed blood and he obliged. It was after..." Kaname stopped talking suddenly, unsure if he should tell Zero when exactly it was. But then again, why not? The pureblood continued more slowly. "It was after the first time you drank from me, Zero," he said with a small smile. He touched his neck lightly, now so accustomed to Zero's delicious fangs that it was hard to remember when it had been a strange and unusual sensation.

"You were the first, you know," he murmured softly, his gaze lingering side-long on Zero as they walked. His senses were more than keen enough to keep him from running into things whether he was looking where he was going or not. "No one had ever bitten me or drawn my blood before. I was... unused to it and unprepared for the aftermath. Aido came to me afterwards. You know... for a long time, he was the only one that knew besides us."

It was Zero's turn to stop walking and stare at Kaname with a strangely unreadable gaze. Kaname was surprised to see an actual thread of quiet anguish in the lovely silver-violet eyes and quickly wondered what he had said wrong. He'd thought Zero was okay with this conversation, but maybe he'd been mistaken. _Idiot, why are you talking about all this stuff with him anyway? Great idea, talk about all the other people you've bitten on your first date, you moron... _He hadn't meant to hurt Zero in any way by what he'd related and was about to apologize and try and say so, but Zero spoke first.

"I'm sorry," the hunter whispered, obviously meaning it deeply and shocking Kaname speechless as he tried to figure out why _Zero_ was apologizing.

The hunter swallowed. They'd never talked about this so openly before. He'd known that Kaname had not shared his blood with anyone before him, but so much had happened since then, it hadn't ever really _hit_ him until now that that time in Kaname's room had been the first time the pureblood had ever had anyone's teeth in his neck. And... And Zero had probably made it just as bad as Shizuka had for him. Kaname had apparently needed _help _afterwards for goodness sake...

Pain and remorse swam in Zero's eyes. _He _should have been there for Kaname afterwards... even though he would have had no clue what to do back then. That was no excuse though. "I'm so sorry. I was so angry and mixed up... I know I hurt you." Zero's tone was soft and laden with self-accusation. He reached out and his fingers brushed Kaname's neck, sliding between the pureblood's collar and his throat. He cupped Kaname's neck in his warm palm as if he could physically erase what had happened back then.

"You deserved better than that for your first time. You were saving my life and I wanted to beat the crap out of you..." Zero trailed off, unable to continue around the tightness in his throat. Sure, sometimes that urge still reared its head, but not at _all_ in the same way. Yes, Kaname could still frustrate him intensely sometimes, but there was a vast world of difference between occasionally wanting to smack someone you loved for being an idiot and truly hating someone enough you could actually contemplate killing them.

Kaname swallowed and Zero felt the motion under his hand. The pureblood's fingers ghosted lightly across the back of Zero's hand as it rested against his neck. Kaname felt his blood singing softly through his body under the stirring gentleness of Zero's touch and the beautiful, vulnerable remorse in his gaze. The hunter's apology was surprising to him. That past seemed so distant to Kaname now, it was all water under the bridge. Yet maybe he shouldn't have been surprised. This earnest goodness and unreasonable self-condemnation were both typical of Zero.

Kaname's eyes shone quietly in the darkness. He smiled slightly. "Well... if it's any consolation, I wanted to beat the crap out of you back then too," he admitted. "There's nothing to apologize for, Zero. You were a playing piece in my game back then. You had every right to hate me. Things were so different." Kaname's fingers slid tenderly into Zero's hair.

The sidewalk around them was comfortably deserted and the only sound of voices came from one of the only open establishments a block or so further ahead. Darkness wrapped the two vampires like a protective cloak, giving them a few moments of pseudo-privacy.

Zero bit his lower lip, still not looking ready to let go of his guilt. "But, I..."

Kaname shook his head and touched his lips, silencing him. "No. Don't, Zero. It really is all right. Some people are able to follow a linear path and can mark the meaningful moments in their lives by firsts... their first date, their first kiss, their first intimacy... I'm sorry, Zero. You and I have never had the luxury of being those people," the pureblood said wistfully but with resolve, his hand now sliding down to caress the hunter's cheek. There was a faint, deep sadness in Kaname's gaze, but it was mingled with love.

"Let's be honest. The first time I took _your_ blood, I was starving and _this _close to killing you by accident." A faint, horrified shudder ran through Kaname at the mere possibility. "Yes, you claimed my first blood in anger, and I claimed your virginity in a dusty warehouse with police outside while I was half out of my mind. I think all around we are firmly disqualified as romance novel candidates."

Zero's cheeks had once more flushed a very attractive pink at the mention of the their first time together. _Oh great, Kaname just had to bring __**that**__ up... _

Kaname continued speaking quickly to keep from getting interrupted. "But despite all the convoluted ways it came to be... the one beautiful, amazing truth is that somehow, we ended up together," he whispered, his gaze now sparkling with a quiet, fierce joy that took Zero's breath away. "The imperfect somehow led to perfection."

Kaname took Zero's fingers in his and kissed his knuckles before turning his hand over and kissing his palm as he often liked to do. "We found a love that I am thankful for everyday, with every breath I take. I found someone amazingly special who fills my heart completely and who I could never imagine living without. _That's _what matters. At least to me," he murmured earnestly. "There are a lot of things we've missed along the way. I'm sorry about that, Zero, but I don't think it's too late. Even if it's not in the "normal" order, I want for us to have those things too. That's why I wanted to go on this date," he confessed. He hadn't meant to tell the hunter all this, but the conversation had just naturally turned that way and now he wanted him to understand. "I want to make these kind of memories with you."

Zero didn't know what to say. His heart ached with the weight of the love he felt. Everything Kaname had said echoed strongly inside him, finding many answering chords. He'd felt the same. He couldn't have put it into words quite like that perhaps, but he'd also experienced that slight melancholy of feeling like they were missing a little something. Not the really important things perhaps, but still... He smiled slowly. Of course, he should have realized Kaname would feel the same. And the pureblood was right... it wasn't too late. They just had to be willing to try, and to take their odd but wonderful relationship at its own pace.

"I do too," Zero finally said softly. "I... I'm glad we went out tonight. And... you're right. It's never too late. I happen to think this has been quite a memorable 'first date'. I've had a great time, Kaname."

"Then maybe... we shall do it again soon, huh?" Kaname murmured back, leaning in and once more dipping his mouth to Zero's lips.

"Maybe we should..." Zero tilted his head, moving into the kiss as their lips met and tongues explored lightly for a moment. It was less serious than some of the other ones they'd shared earlier, but no less delightful. _Okay, so apparently they __**couldn't **__go more than a few hundred yards without kissing. So what? Who the hell cared, anyway? _

Kaname's arms slid around Zero's waist and he pulled the hunter in more firmly against him. Zero allowed it for a moment, semi-content that they were lost in the shadows and alone on the sidewalk before he finally planted his hands on Kaname's chest and tried to push the pureblood back once more. Kaname resisted at first, holding onto Zero, one hand gripping his backside with playful possessiveness before the hunter showed by his quickly strengthening resistance that he was serious and Kaname acquiesced, letting the boy slip out of his arms.

At the end of the block a door opened and the sound of voices, tinny music and other odd, electronic sounds swelled louder for a moment before the door swung shut again. The small group of teenagers exiting headed off in the opposite direction and did not notice the two young men in the shadows.

"We did just say _first date_. **First **date, remember? Geez, Kaname, you keep kissing me like this and I'm going to suspect that you think I'm easy or something," Zero grumped good naturedly.

"Warehouse," Kaname reminded with a smug grin, harkening easily back to their conversation a moment ago. He wasn't actually saying that Zero had been easy of course. Obviously, there were wildly extenuating circumstances. _Kaname_ was actually the one who had been desperate and Zero had more or less saved his soul and his sanity that night, but that didn't mean he couldn't tease his lover about it. Especially since Zero was so darn tease-able.

"What?! Why you..." Zero reacted appropriately, giving his lover a dirty glare as he rounded on him, swinging a jab at him that he knew Kaname would easily duck. The pureblood did so, backing away and laughing as he had to duck again.

"_Im_possible... _In_corrigible..." Zero fumed as he pressed his mock attack.

Kaname's backed into the stucco wall of the building behind him, bumping up against it and laughing too much at Zero's adorable outrage to notice or care that the hunter, although unable to touch him, had very effectively backed him into a corner. Unable to retreat again, he caught Zero's fist in his hand this time, using it to pull Zero in close against him. He knew Zero wasn't really trying to hurt him, even if he might want to, no more than he would really hurt Zero.

"_Ir_resistible?" Kaname prompted with a devilish grin, catching Zero's other fist and not letting him go.

Zero wasn't sure if he was actually ticked off. The urge to laugh was somehow contradicting his irritation. Mock-fighting with Kaname was not all that unusual. Sometimes it was more serious than others, but tonight it wasn't really. This was a game they played. On some unconscious level, they both knew it.

"_In_sufferable." Zero retorted flatly with one of his patent glares that Kaname had to admit to himself he enjoyed seeing occasionally.

The ex-human struggled, but Kaname held him for a heartbeat or two. If Kaname didn't want to let go, there was nothing Zero could actually do to make him. Kaname very much wanted to twirl around, push Zero up against the building instead and kiss him utterly senseless. But although he could probably melt Zero's resistance with enough pressure right now, he knew he shouldn't. There was a lot he _could _do to Zero that he didn't, because he would not betray the other's trust. Instead he merely gave Zero a teasing kiss on the tip of his nose before releasing him.

The pureblood held up his hands in a gesture of peace and surrender. "All right, all right. I offer most humble and abject apology for my unforgivable slight upon your unimpeachable virtue..." Kaname had to duck again, laughing so much he almost wasn't fast enough to avoid Zero's clout. "No! No, seriously... I'm sorry, all right?" he tried again with a little more sincerity and a little less flowery hyperbole this time, hands still raised submissively.

Zero gave him a wary look that said he didn't really believe it, but lowered his fists, battling a smile behind the glare he was trying to keep up. "All right. You'll behave, then?"

"But of course, I agreed earlier, didn't I? First date behavior," Kaname agreed with wide-eyed innocence that Zero wasn't buying. "So... how do you feel about second dates?" the pureblood added a moment later, the corners of his sculpted lips twitching irrepressibly.

Zero rolled his eyes, giving up. "I think they should be had in the next century," he retorted, completely not serious. "But come on, this one isn't over yet..."

To Kaname's surprise Zero took his hand and led him further down the block, towards the sound of muffled voices and the door that had opened before. The glass door spilled a small rectangle of light onto the sidewalk, but the windows flanking the door had been painted black on the inside and emitted nothing. There was a lot of noise coming from inside and Kaname wondered what kind of an establishment it was. Over the door he saw a sign reading _Lakeside Laser Extreme _which didn't exactly help. Laser made him think surgery of some kind, but it sounded more like a nightclub or a casino in there than a hospital.

Zero seemed to know exactly what kind of place it was as he led them towards it, however. He'd not been to one in a while, but he'd recognized the unmistakable sounds when the door opened before and he thought it would be fun to stop in for a few minutes with Kaname. Like as not it was something the pureblood hadn't done very often, if at all. Kaname was insufferable, as usual, but he was right about one thing - there was no reason they couldn't try to do now things they may have missed earlier, and that included introducing Kaname to some of those joys of a normal childhood like Zero had been thinking earlier.

They were a little over dressed, but they didn't have to stay long, just a couple games maybe... Zero pushed the door open and Kaname followed him hesitantly into a loud, stale smelling, unevenly lit room filled with a dozen brightly colored machines which were all blinking, beeping and playing synthesized music at the same time. A number of teens were standing by different machines, working the controls while others got change or milled around with handfuls of tokens.

"Hey Kaname," Zero said, turning to him with a grin as he saw the pureblood's confused, wary and dubious expression. "Ever been to an Arcade before?"


	5. In the Arcade

_A/N: Man, this chapter ended up long! LOL it was another one of those parts that take on a life of their own and go where they want to go. Tiny bit of a cliffhanger for once at the end, but not too serious. ;) I apologize if the whole arcade setting is possibly very Americana in feeling. I can only write from my own experience with such things, which is of course colored by where I live. But since Vampire Knight is probably set in some alternate version of the future anyway in who knows what location... *hopes she can get away with it* XD This chapter and this whole fic is written for fluff / fun value, so hopefully it brings a smile even if it's a little silly. :)_

_Happy little hug-nod to YenGirl for the idea of our dear boys using ear plugs to dampen the sound when things might otherwise be too loud. :) Oh, and don't forget to check my bio for info on where to find my individual review responses._

**Chapter Five: "In the Arcade"**

Inside the arcade was a cornucopia of stale smells, loud sounds, uneven lighting and a fairly large amount of people crowded into a small, garishly decorated space. The cacophony of video game music, sound effects, explosions and voices was deafening. Kaname's head started pounding almost the second they stepped inside. He would _never_ have set foot through that door on his own volition, but with Zero leading he simply followed quietly. Zero had been willing to give Kabuki a shot for him, apparently despite previous bad experiences, it was only fair to return the favor. Besides... Kaname would have followed Zero anywhere.

Zero glanced around thoughtfully. He didn't remember arcades being _quite _this loud, but then, he hadn't been in one in some years, not since his vampire nature had fully awakened. His ears were probably more sensitive now. And if it seemed a little loud to him, it meant Kaname's ears had to be practically bleeding... Zero fished quickly in his pocket for the small package of earplugs he tried to carry everywhere. The longer he'd been drinking Kaname's blood, the more acute his hearing had become and he'd had to find a way to cope when those extra senses were bothersome. He'd popped the small plastic box into his pocket before leaving his room in case whatever show the Edo was putting on had been overly amplified. He hadn't needed them at the dinner theater, but they would come in handy now.

Actually, the sound level was just on the edge of okay for him and he wasn't going to use the earplugs, but he was thinking of Kaname. He always carried an extra set for the pureblood, ever since Zero had realized that a lot of things that Kaname didn't want to do, he avoided simply because the ultra-sensitive vampire couldn't stand the noise level. Kaname didn't like artificially dampening his senses. The stubborn pureblood seemed to expect himself to just muscle through the pain, but Zero thought that was ridiculous. It wasn't as if Kaname's hearing wasn't still far better than any humans, even _with _the earplugs. After finding out what a relief they could provide, Kaname had hesitantly warmed to the idea. So when Zero pulled the familiar case out of his pocket and passed Kaname two little circles of fresh wax, the pureblood hesitated only a moment or two before taking them.

"We'll just try a couple of games and then go, okay?" the hunter half stated, half assured, speaking loudly to be heard over the sounds of the arcade. He wanted to give Kaname the experience, but not make him feel he had to stay if the pureblood didn't enjoy it.

Kaname nodded as he settled his ear plugs, feeling immediately better when the electronic humming and shrilling of the games dropped a few decibels. His headache receding, he was able to be more curious about their surroundings. Really, there was something kind of fascinating about the foreign setting and the cheerfully glowing machines with their various enticing facades. There hadn't been a lot of time in his life for games or other childhood pastimes and his guardian, Asato Ichijo, like many traditional old-blood vampires, had not been big on having a lot of frivolous technology in his house.

Zero scanned the room briefly, looking for less crowded areas and games that he remembered. He wondered if maybe he was a little too old for this after all, but in reality most of the humans in the place were only a little younger than them, some a little older. It was only his and Kaname's lives that had aged them both to maturity so far ahead of their time.

Kaname had been observing the other people in the arcade as well, and he'd deduced that the games needed money to run - which made sense, there had to be some profit in this after all. Given the handfuls of gold colored coins that people were carrying around, it wasn't normal money either. His astute gaze traveled quickly to a nearby wall where several younger children were scooping a handful of the tarnished golden coins out of the dish of a machine that seemed to accept paper money and turn it into the arcade's local form of currency.

"This is where you get the game coins?" Kaname inquired rhetorically as he made his way purposefully to the token machine, pulling his billfold from his pocket.

Zero started to nod and then noticed the denomination of the bill that Kaname was feeding into the slot. "Wait...!" but it was too late, the machine had already sucked it in and with a whir it began to happily churn forth a steady stream of tokens which fell clattering into the metal collection dish below.

"Kaname, that was too much!" Zero protested in amused aggravation, quickly reaching out and cupping his hands to catch the overflow as the little metal bowl quickly filled to the top and started to spill, gushing tokens like someone had just hit the jackpot.

The stickers giving the exchange rate of tokens for cash had long ago been worn off or dog-eared into illegibility and Kaname, not knowing better, had assumed the tokens were more expensive than they actually were. He seemed a bit surprised and chagrined by the amount of them that were now spilling forth. "Oops," he said with a charming smile to Zero to cover his embarrassment as he helped his date scoop up the still spewing tokens. The two vampires filled their pockets swiftly and the machine finally stopped, sending the last few tokens sliding down into the receptacle with an innocent jangle.

A few people had stopped to glance quizzically at them because of all the clatter. A couple smaller children giggled and the attendant behind the counter in the other corner of the room was shooting them a suspicious gaze as if they'd done something to break the machine. He'd probably never seen anyone stick that large a bill into the till before. Flushing, Zero grabbed Kaname's sleeve and quickly led him off into the rows of beeping, buzzing games in order to escape the glances. Their heavy pants pockets jangled softly, thawping slowly against their legs like saddle bags as they walked.

"Geez... do you have to draw so much attention _everywhere _we go?" Zero muttered. He was teasing, but Kaname was feeling a bit self-conscious and was not as perceptive as normal.

"Sorry," the pureblood murmured, feeling completely on the wrong foot in this unfamiliar setting. Even the _children _apparently knew more about how this worked than he did. It was rare for him to be in a situation where it felt like everyone else knew what to do and he didn't, but it happened on occasion, and he didn't like it. There was something instinctively terrifying to him about being in uncharted waters - it was like a soldier who didn't have the lay of the land and therefore couldn't plan his attack or exit strategies effectively. It was stupid to feel that way in a situation like this, but it was still instinctual. He didn't like the feeling that Zero thought him an idiot either.

Zero, fortunately, caught the unexpectedly subdued tone in Kaname's voice and shot him a quick glance. _Ah, crap. There he went again. _Kaname couldn't make normal little mistakes and shrug them off. They were always huge failures in his eyes. It was a little frustrating actually, but Zero's heart went out to him anyway.

"It's fine," the hunter said more gently, giving a small shrug and a rueful little smile that seemed to reassure his companion. "We'll get to play a lot of games, that's all. Come on, let's try this one." He selected the closest open machine and waved Kaname over, extracting a couple tokens from his pocket and popping them into the appropriate slots. The hunter raised an eyebrow at the price required to play. It really had been a while since he'd been to an arcade or else this was just an expensive place. Given these prices they might run through Kaname's tokens faster than he'd expected. Fortunately, they certainly had enough of them.

Kaname moved to stand beside Zero at the game controls as some badly animated characters stalked onto the screen and started punching at one another. The pureblood wrapped one hand around the joystick and placed his other over the colorful buttons beside it, subtly mimicking Zero's movements. But that was about as far as mimicry could get him. Moving the character on the screen with the joystick was easy, he got that part, but the buttons were baffling and had a tendency to make the character look like he was having an epileptic seizure. Other characters on the screen kept coming over and trying to beat his character up. At first he thought Zero was doing it but then he realized that the character Zero was playing was busy fighting on the other side of the screen.

Kaname found the punch and kick buttons, but they didn't always seem to work and he couldn't figure out how to block or duck. The pureblood squinted, unintentionally leaning closer to the screen as he rapidly slapped the buttons. It was insane to fight with three little buttons, how could you possibly simulate real battle that way? Now if the little character would just jump _now _and flip over his attacker, he could land behind him and have his heart before you blinked. But of course, all the avatar would do was jab his fists around and get knocked on his bum. The joystick started to deform in his hand, the screen flickered and Kaname quickly scaled back on his concentration and frustration. _Calm down, it's just a game. _

Zero glanced sideways at him in mild alarm as if suddenly having visions of them blacking out the arcade and wondering if this had been a good idea. Kaname gave him a quick smile to indicate he had already caught his slip and Zero's attention darted back to the screen where the hunter was kicking tiny digital ass with an aplomb that the pureblood envied.

Kaname's gaze narrowed as Zero knocked a couple opponents flat. _Wait... how'd he do that? That wasn't fair. _

"White, white, blue, white," Zero tried to instruct distractedly when he saw Kaname was cornered and flailing randomly on the other side of the screen. He was struggling a little to remember how to do this himself. It had been a while and the controls were a bit different on this game than the version to which he was accustomed.

Kaname wondered for a moment if Zero were speaking in code, but quickly deduced that it was some kind of combo move corresponding to the button colors. He tried it, but it was too late and his character was already lying in a little blinking heap with the others stomping on it while big numbers appeared on the screen.

"I think this is broken," Kaname commented when he couldn't get the avatar to move and the numbers continued to count down.

"No, you died, put two more tokens in," Zero corrected distractedly, tapping the buttons rapidly as he darted back and forth.

Kaname thought this was a rather pointless game, but did as he was instructed. He inserted the tokens. The numbers continued counting down to nothing and then went away, but try as he might, the little man he'd been playing before refused to obey him now. The character wandered around the screen and started fighting on his own instead. Admittedly, he seemed to be doing better without Kaname's interference, but the pureblood didn't think this was how it was supposed to work. He jiggled the joystick, but trying to control the avatar appeared to be about as useful as trying to control Zero... the thought made Kaname smile. "_No_, I think it's broken," he repeated.

Zero glanced over in mild exasperation and then grinned as he realized the problem. "_No_, you have to push start to continue."

When Kaname didn't move, the hunter reached over and slapped a red button - which was _not _labeled _"start"_, Kaname noted. However, it did apparently return control of the avatar to the pureblood, because the poor little guy on the screen stopped moving and promptly got piled on by the burly attackers around him.

"I think he was doing better without me," Kaname commented in amusement as he resumed trying to figure out the baffling game.

Zero had accidentally gotten killed while helping Kaname restart his game. He opted not to put more coins in however, instead stopping to watch the pureblood and trying to prompt him on what buttons to use. The ex-human couldn't help finding his lover's puzzled attempts precious and humorous. Kaname, deadly prince of the vampire world, was being soundly trounced by a video game. Good thing Aido wasn't here, he'd probably turn the offending machine into an ice sculpture.

"Kick! I mean, blue!" Zero urged. Kaname did as he was told, but a half a second too late and one of the other characters on the screen picked Kaname's avatar up and threw him against the wall. Kaname thought the game wasn't very realistic. It was a pity that the consol didn't have a _"satisfyingly squash all characters like bugs with your mind"_ button. It would have saved _so _much time.

When the pureblood died again, Zero shook his head in amusement and gave up. Kaname was very smart and would doubtless get the hang of it given time, but there were some kids standing behind them now, waiting for the game. Zero wanted to move away before Kaname realized the children were sniggering at him. _He _could pick on Kaname, that didn't mean anyone else got to do so.

"I don't much like that one really. Here, let's try this one," Zero said, taking Kaname by the elbow and tugging him over to another open machine across the aisle. Red and blue plastic guns rested in upraised slots in front of the machine. Zero picked up the blue one and placed it in Kaname's hand before bending to pop the required tokens into the slots for both players.

"The controls are much simpler," Zero said with a dry grin, picking up the other gun as the game started. "Just point..." he demonstrated, aiming at the screen as a large, crazed looking zombie charged them, "and shoot." The zombie's head exploded in a splash of highly unrealistic purple blood. Zero hadn't examined the game too hard before choosing it and felt suddenly glad that it was a zombie attack game and not something more awkward like... say... _vampire attack_. Not that he or Kaname would have a problem playing something like that. Actually, it probably would have been funny, yet given his very real profession, it just... it wasn't the kind of thing Zero wanted to do in front of Kaname right now.

Kaname raised his eyebrows at the graphics, but he definitely got the idea and quickly started picking targets on his side of the screen. Now _this _he understood perfectly. Both of them having excellent aim and reflexes, they blasted their way through the game pretty easily without losing too many lives. They did have to feed more tokens in a couple of times, which was kind of Kaname's fault, although in his defense Zero _had _forgotten to mention that A) you had to shoot off the screen to reload, and B) not _everyone _running around out there was a target and you lost lives for shooting non-zombies. Once those two little obstacles were out of the way, however, they cleared level after level until the game's minimally present plot line finally wound to its climactic end.

Zero was glad to see that Kaname was grinning as he returned his gun to its holster. He'd wanted him to have fun and it looked like the pureblood was finally starting to relax and get into the swing of things. They played many other games after that. Some were too easy, such as the ball toss games that both vampires could ace on every throw, but others presented more of a challenge. By the time they were racing digital cars through outlandish racetracks on distant planets they were both laughing, joking and trash talking one another's performance with the comfort of friends who could have been doing this forever.

Zero smiled as he threw his car into a sharp turn, intentionally slamming into the side of Kaname's car and trying to force him off the track as they raced neck-and-neck. It was really... _nice... _just doing normal things like this with Kaname. Both of them had had to grow up too fast, both of them felt much older than their teenage bodies indicated, but deep down they still wanted the same things as other young people - to live, to love, to laugh and enjoy life. He and Kaname had gone from being enemies to lovers; it was nice to continue discovering that they could also be friends.

Kaname tapped on his brakes, letting Zero shoot ahead of him only to step on the gas and use his turbo boost to come right back up behind him, slamming into the hunter's car from the rear and making it spin into the air.

"Hey!" Zero protested as the pureblood zoomed ahead. "You're learning to play this way too well..." he groused, but he was still grinning.

Kaname beamed devilishly as he spun around another curve, compensating for the game's sluggish over-sensitivity by taking the turn as tightly as possible. He shot Zero a sparkling look as he zipped across the finish line a few feet in the lead. "I had a good teacher."

They were just climbing out of the racing seats when the lights pulsed to get the patrons' attentions and a muffled PA system competed with the music of a dozen singing video games. The man behind the counter in the corner announced that the next laser tag game was ready to begin and anyone who wanted to join should come to the desk.

Zero glanced towards the front where some of the other teens were already starting to queue up and Kaname saw a flare of interest in the hunter's amethyst eyes before he quickly glanced down at his dress clothing, then at Kaname and seemed to dismiss the notion with regret.

"Laser tag?" Kaname inquired, inwardly thinking it sounded kind of childish, but giving no hint of those feelings since he had seen that Zero kind of wanted to do it. "Let's try that."

Zero looked surprised and gave Kaname an inquiring glance. "Are you sure? We're not exactly dressed for it."

Kaname wasn't sure, actually, he didn't even know how laser tag was played, but he was having fun. He was ready to try new things, and he really wanted to make Zero happy. So he nodded. "Of course. Let's go."

Zero grinned. "Okay. But we'll have to go easy on the others, 'kay?"

Kaname grinned back as if he knew what the heck Zero was talking about and nodded in agreement.

When they reached the desk the young man behind the counter gave their suits a sweeping, skeptical glance, but made no comment as he informed them of the price to play. Kaname started to reach for his wallet again but Zero stopped him. The hunter emptied his pockets of most of the remaining tokens and nodded at Kaname to do the same. The pureblood complied and they counted out the price of the game from their abundant token stash. The man behind the desk didn't look entirely happy at having to count all the tokens as well, but he couldn't refuse since there was nothing that said patrons _couldn't _pay in tokens. After being satisfied that they had all counted right, the attendant pushed a pair of brightly colored tickets with numbers stamped on them across the counter to the two vampires.

Kaname was glad to be rid of the extra, jangling weight from his pockets and Zero seemed pleased at having found a use for the large excess of tokens that they probably weren't going to use otherwise. Kaname grinned as they followed the rest of the group into a small room beyond the main arcade. Zero always seemed happy when he could be thrifty. It was not a notion that Kaname really understood, and sometimes Zero's attitude towards money was almost frustrating, but right now he thought it was adorable.

The attendant followed them into the room and demonstrated how to use the laser tag equipment, explained about the different lighted colors of the "mines" mounted on the walls inside the arena - which ones gave you points when you shot them, and which ones would shoot you and take points away, and went over the rules of conduct. He spoke quickly and perfunctorily in a way that said he had the spiel memorized and most of the other players seemed to be antsy to just get going, but Kaname was glad for the explanation and listened carefully. Zero did too. He knew how to play quite well, but each arena was different.

After the brief instructions, the attendant let them through into the weapons room, pointed out where they should leave their tickets and then left to return to his place at the desk. Racks of vests and guns hung on the wall. Zero noticed that each vest had a large number emblazoned on it and glanced at the corresponding numbers on their tickets. "I think we use the gear that matches our numbers," he commented, making note of his number before tossing his ticket into the return barrel. That had been left out of the explanation, but it made sense.

Zero reached for vest 23, but realized that his suit coat was inhibiting his movement as he unhooked the gear from the wall and pulled it down. Shrugging out of his coat, he carefully tied it around his waist by the arms, trying not to wrinkle it too horrendously, but getting much better mobility in just his shirt sleeves. He slid the harness-like vest over his head and checked the gun which was attached to it by a springy cord.

Kaname, once more copying Zero, had slowly shrugged out of his coat as well and was now holding it a trifle uncertainly.

"Here, like this, you'll move easier," Zero said, taking the coat from Kaname and tying it around his waist as he'd done with his own. The soft glint of Kaname's diamond studded cufflinks made Zero pause as he suddenly realized that Kaname's suit probably cost more than the arcade earned in a month. And here he was actually tying the silky, tailored sleeves of the suit coat in a knot as if it was a sweatshirt or a hoodie.

Zero paused, his fingers gliding momentarily across the deliciously soft fabric of Kaname's chocolate dress shirt. They really, _really _weren't dressed to be playing games like this. "Are you sure you want to do this?" he asked quietly. "Your suit..."

"Can be easily pressed and cleaned later," Kaname assured. "This looks fun." He meant it this time. Now that he knew they got to shoot at one another it was sounding a lot less like what he thought of when he heard the word _"tag" _and a lot more like a fun excuse to hunt and try to best one another. Oh, and random other people too, apparently. "Or are you afraid I'm going to cream you again...?" Kaname teased, challenge dancing in his eyes.

Zero scoffed, pulling Kaname's vest and gun combo down from the wall and tossing it to him. "What _again? _You win a couple of races and you think you're hot stuff? You better watch out, I do this all the time, and on much harder courses," he warned with an answering winkle of challenge in his gaze. "Sometime I'll have to take you to one of the Association's training centers. They use somewhat similar equipment for training exercises and proficiency exams. Their arenas are massive."

Kaname was quite intrigued to hear that. Zero didn't usually talk about his work or his hunter training much. It was nice to see him so relaxed. "Really? I think I should like to see that... if they'd let me in," he added with a chuckle, not at all sure that they would. Untamed vampires were not usually welcome on hunter premises, especiallypurebloods.

Zero hadn't seemed to think of that and gave a small shrug, realizing what Kaname said was true but not letting it dampen his mood. "Well, you never know..." he said with sly grin as he clicked his harness shut, glancing to make sure that Kaname had correctly done his fastenings as well. "They might... if you volunteered to be the target."

Kaname chuckled, testing the weight of the bulky gun in his hand and shifting the vest a little on his shoulders. "Mm, I'm sure they'd like that." His own smile turned devilish. "But I'm afraid they'd be at too great a disadvantage, it wouldn't be fair."

Zero grinned and shook his head as the doors to the arena opened and the waiting young people all started flooding through. The two vampires went with the flow and found themselves in a large arena that was lit with black light, making some colors glow and others fade. There was an obstacle course inside modeled like a mini urban jungle with plenty of places to hide, climb and exploit throughout the twenty minutes of play time allotted.

"Look," Kaname pointed out several of the glowing orbs on the walls that they had been warned about, making a quick mental note of their positions. Zero nodded, doing the same. The pureblood remembered something having been said about the players working in teams but he didn't see how exactly that was supposed to be decided. This motley, mixed lot didn't seem to have much cohesiveness of any kind and it might be tricky to segregate them efficiently. There were a large number of teenagers, at least six children probably under the age of ten, and a couple of older adults who were either parents of some of the younger children, or just kids at heart.

"How do you suppose the teams are going to be chosen...?" he started to ask.

Just then, a siren sounded. A low, pulsing music began to play and small lights on all the players' vests came on, some vests glowing green, some red. "Green team, go! Red team, go!" a voice said over the PA, answering the question of how the teams were to be chosen. The vests decided.

Kaname and Zero looked at one another. Kaname's vest was glowing green and Zero's was glowing red. Opposite teams. Weapons snapped up and they both got a shot in even as they rapidly ducked and peeled away, darting for cover. Their vests buzzed and the lights flashed.

Kaname ducked behind some orange barrels and Zero darted up a winding scaffold, taking the high ground. They continued to pepper one another with invisible shots until they were out of range. A digital scoreboard on the wall kept track of which team was ahead, periodically announcing it over the PA amid the low, driving throb of the music.

Kaname quickly discovered that your vest buzzed, the lights on it flashed and you couldn't shoot for ten seconds after having been shot, but neither could anyone else shoot you again until after that time either. He also discovered that the idea of a _team_ here was a rather loose definition as everybody seemed to more or less do their own thing. It was an incredibly haphazard way to run things and he naturally started trying to organize, even while keeping an eye out for Red team members who were running about with the same haphazard but chaotically effective randomness.

Since they were humans, and not vampires, the other teens ignored him at first, content to do their own thing and not used to a more concerted approach to this game. The younger children, however, seemed quite happy to "play army" and follow their new de-facto commander's lead. Kaname smiled. Children were great that way. After Kaname's little army pulled a rather spectacular bait-and-ambush on a number of older Red team players however, other Green team members started becoming more interested and soon Kaname had the majority of them happily playing along with his strategies. If there was one thing he was good at, it was getting people to do what he wanted.

Zero was content to ignore the rest of the Red team and let them do as they pleased. He moved much better and played more effectively alone, preferring to defend his team members by picking off their attackers and keeping the other side on the run. The hunter was devastatingly good as a sniper, scrambling and climbing quickly from one vantage point to the next and consistently staying at the top of the Red Team's score list as he racked up an impressive number of points without presenting a clear target for retaliation. Attack and retreat. Don't let the opponent see you unless you want them to and always try to make the first move because you couldn't be sure you'd get a chance to make the second one. It was a cornerstone of his hunter training and it served him just as well here in this pretend setting as it did in the real world.

Only here... it was fun, because there was no real danger to anyone, just friendly, adrenaline-pumping competition. Especially since he'd not been able to catch more than a glimpse of Kaname since the game started, and naturally, getting Kaname was what he really wanted to do. The rest of the players were just collateral.

But Kaname, as usual, was presenting a constantly shifting and well-guarded target, moving his team members around the mock battlefield with tactical savvy, using them both to raid and to soak up the brunt of any attacks before they could reach the pureblood.

Zero grinned grimly to himself as he had to jump behind a plywood partition, slamming his back against it and dropping into a crouch to avoid an enthusiastic ambush by some far too organized Green team players. He should have figured that if anyone could actually organize a group like this, it would be Kaname. The pureblood was a born leader and it was obviously his preferred fighting style, just like solo commando was Zero's. In so many ways they were different, and yet in so many ways, they were also much the same.

Zero ducked out of his hiding place long enough to pop off a string of incredibly accurate shots that sent five Green team member's vests buzzing before dropping back into a crouch and rolling to a different hiding place. Yes, they were the same in some ways. Like the fact that Zero could clearly tell Kaname's entire strategy was based upon trying to flush him out. Obviously, Zero was the quarry that really mattered to the pureblood as well.

From a distance, Kaname picked off several red players as they ran across an open space. Keeping his back to the wall, he moved swiftly and silently to another vantage point. The arena was well constructed, while there were plenty of good places to hide and dart behind, there were really very few places that were actually defensible or secure. The nature of the landscape and the position of the wall mines meant that players had to keep moving in order to avoid being found and shot, especially since the glowing vests didn't really allow for much stealth.

Kaname was doing an admirable job of not getting shot and save for Zero's first hit, had yet to lose any points in that manner. His natural instincts led him to a systematic approach that was as equally concerned with his team dominating the field of play and keeping his score up by not getting shot as it was with upping his score by shooting others. The pureblood's keen eyes searched his surroundings for a flash of silver hair, but Zero was doing far too good at staying out of sight, even though Kaname's team was methodically sweeping the arena in small groups. Finally, he caught sight of his elusive date in an unexpected place.

Zero suddenly rolled out into the dead, unprotected open center of the maze and charged across it. Kaname felt his vest buzz even as he swung his weapon in that direction. Zero flashed him a satisfied smirk and a little head-salute, the hunter's swift reflexes allowing him down almost everyone in sight before he rolled back behind cover, his blinking vest and indicating that someone had hit him.

Zero had known someone would, it was impossible not to get hit in that position, but he'd been counting on his reflexes to let him get enough shots in to make the hit worthwhile. Getting Kaname alone would have been worthwhile. The pureblood was more elusive than mist when he wanted to be. Zero didn't mind trading off getting shot for achieving his goal, and he knew Kaname well enough to know that he preferred shrewd strategy to random kamikaze acts, which meant they were a good thing to use if he wanted to get close enough to the pureblood to score.

Kaname grinned as he quickly shifted to another location, waiting for his own vest to stop blinking. Ah... of course, the hunter knew him and his tactics far too well. _Good move, Zero... I will be more watchful. _Quite against all apparent odds, Kaname found he was very thoroughly enjoying himself. The game appealed to his nature, allowing him the thrill of the hunt in a safe, non-contact environment where there was little chance of his truly predatory instincts being engaged or his control seriously tested. This was just plain _fun. _

Time seemed to fly as the two sides scrambled and shouted and laughed and shot one another. Green totally ruled the field of play, but at least one player on Red continued to top the score list, driving it up a full digit place above everyone else's.

Zero had to remain on his toes though, because it became clearer and clearer that Kaname had all the Green players after _him _in particular. Fortunately, he was quite good at evading. Narrowly skirting an ambush, Zero ducked quickly into the shadows behind one of the arena's taller support towers. It was only a few feet from the wall and out of the main area of play. It was presently deserted and Zero took the moment to catch his breath and scope the field by sound. He resisted the urge to check his weapon, which would normally have been prudent, but with these laser guns was unnecessary.

Suddenly the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. Zero got only a millisecond of warning. His instincts screamed _vampire _even as his vest buzzed and he felt a strong, familiar arm curl around his throat from behind. In the shadows of the plastic and plywood tower, Kaname jerked Zero in against his chest, holding the ex-human to him with his gun pressed against the sensor in the middle of Zero's back. Zero knew Kaname had been somewhere on the other side of the arena only moments ago, he'd sensed him out there.

The hunter jerked, but didn't have time to react before he found himself pinned. Kaname had caught him by surprise and the pureblood was much, much too fast. He yelped a soft curse without meaning to, his heart hammering in his chest. The play battle had gotten his instincts going and feeling a vampire suddenly get the drop on him like that had ratcheted his heart up into his throat, even though it was only Kaname.

"Kaname... you better not let people see you move that fast," he growled, trying not to pant too hard or let Kaname feel the momentary tremble in his limbs as his heart started to settle back into some semblance of its proper place. Zero still had his weapon in hand. With the way the guns were tethered, you couldn't really disarm anyone in this game, nor were you supposed to. The weapon was useless for the moment, but Zero was counting off the seconds in his head until his vest would re-activate.

Kaname grinned broadly, also keeping a careful mental count of how long until Zero was able to both shoot and be shot again. "Don't worry," he purred in Zero's ear. "Nobody _can _see me when I move that fast."

He nuzzled his face against the side of Zero's neck, pushing that deliciously provocative collar down so he could kiss and suck on the soft, warm, pale flesh below. They were well hidden back here and he would hear if anyone was approaching long before they could be seen. He felt Zero's pulse throbbing rapidly under his tongue and the pureblood gave a small, delighted little moan in the back of his throat.

Zero shuddered softly, definitely not from fright this time as the warm suction on his sensitive neck sent little jolts of pleasure through his already highly keyed up system. Adrenaline was one heck of an aphrodisiac. Maybe that was part of why he and Kaname enjoyed sparring so much. There was something innately thrilling about catching or being caught after a pitched struggle. It was a natural high that was incredibly hard to resist and even Zero found it easy to lose himself in the moment as he heard Kaname's heart throbbing rapidly and felt his strong arms about him.

His chest heaving softly, Zero inhaled the pureblood's delicious scent and addictive pheromones, making his head spin even harder. He felt the dangerous, teasing scrape of fangs against the moist skin and his stomach fluttered, hard. A delicious jolt of sheer fire coiled in his groin and an equal jolt of apprehension knotted his gut.

_Oh crap! _Kaname's fangs were aroused. If his eyes were glowing it would be almost impossible to miss in the dim lighting. Zero should have realized that being in an environment like this was likely to kick off the pureblood's instincts. He wasn't worried like he would have been with many other vampires; he was quite certain Kaname wasn't about to endanger any of the humans here, but having to wipe everyone in the arcade's memories wasn't really on his to-do list for tonight.

"Kaname...!" Zero gasped around the arm that still had the front of his throat trapped, his voice squeaking a little more than he intended. He stopped struggling, knowing full well that fighting an aroused Kaname was like running from an angry bear. It was certain to gain the opposite reaction to the one desired. Struggling would only further fuel the vampire's predatory instincts.

The pureblood's sharp, seductive fangs brushed his throat again, purposefully trailing across the hunter's jugular while Kaname's tongue flicked teasingly against the soft flesh. Zero's chest shook slightly as he struggled to draw another dizzy, shuddering breath. He tried to keep his voice steady and calming. "Are you okay? M-maybe we should go..." Those damn, incredible sharp points brushed his throat again and Zero almost forgot what he was saying, barely stifling a completely humiliating little breathless moan.

Zero was quite afraid that Kaname was going to bite him right here and now. Okay... _afraid _was the wrong word because it implied that he didn't _want _Kaname to bite him, which was embarrassingly very much not the case. His neck was burning from Kaname's touch and throbbing with the desire to be penetrated. The danger of discovery and the fact that this was very definitely not a good time only made the desire stronger. The two of them had been playing with fire all night, testing their restraint, and each time they pushed it, it got harder to pull back from the edge.

"I don't want to go; I'm having far too much fun..." Kaname purred, his black-silk voice washing over Zero's senses like chocolate ice - cool and sinful. The pureblood enjoyed the feeling of Zero's body trying not to tremble in his arms and the way Zero unconsciously canted his head a little to the side as if begging to be bitten despite himself. It was almost impossible to resist, but Kaname did resist. What Zero could not see was that the pureblood's sparkling eyes were their normal shade somewhere between chocolate and sanguine. He was in perfect control of himself and his instincts, but he _was _definitely having fun.

"And..." Kaname purred, hesitating as he sucked intensely against Zero's pulse, his fangs worrying the skin without breaking it. The lights on Zero's vest stopped blinking. "You lost count, didn't you?"

For a moment Zero's brain couldn't figure out the statement. Then he started as understanding flooded him at about the same time that he felt the buzz telling him that Kaname had just shot him again, the second his vest had reactivated.

"You... _you!_" Zero sputtered as Kaname laughed against his neck. The hunter realized that his partner was in no danger of vamping out at all and that he had just been very effectively played. The pureblood had known that Zero would be still and passive to try and negate any flaring of his instincts if the hunter thought he'd been overly stimulated by the game. _Clever bastard. _

Kaname just laughed, kissing Zero's neck with seductive playfulness, even as his fangs reluctantly retracted. "Honestly, don't you think my control is better than that? You wouldn't be _alive _if I gave in so easily..." he teased.

Zero felt Kaname's vest buzz against his back as someone on Red team running through the overhead above randomly shot down towards the lights on their equipment. Their body positions were hidden in darkness, but the red and green lights still made good targets.

The ceiling lights started flashing overhead. _"Ten seconds left to play!"_ the PA announced. _"Ten, nine, eight..."_

Kaname loosed his grip on Zero as he sensed others approaching. It was technically against the arcade's rules to grip or grapple with other players but Kaname was more concerned about Zero's feelings after the promises he'd made. Much as he didn't want to let go, he didn't want to be seen either. Not that _he _cared, but he knew Zero did.

_"Three, two, one..."_

Zero took the opportunity to spin out of Kaname's grip and whirl around. Kaname's vest reactivated and he and Zero fired at the same time, both vests buzzing right before the timer counted down to zero and everyone's equipment deactivated. The overhead lights brightened and the music fell still, signaling that the game was over and it was time for everyone to exit back to the armory and return their gear.

Zero wiped perspiration dampened hair out of his eyes as he unhooked his gear, lifting the vest off over his head and hanging it back up while Kaname did the same.

Two little boys and a little girl, still wearing vests which their parents were trying to get off of them, ran up to Kaname. "Play again! Play again!" they urged excitedly, the little boys still mock shooting each other while the little girl tugged on Kaname's pants leg.

Kaname looked at a somewhat amused loss and Zero laughed softly. "Kaname, you have fans. Your loyal troops don't want you to leave."

"No, enough now, it's already past your bed time, we said _one _game..." a woman who appeared to be the children's mother said as she came to collect them. She gave Kaname a pleasant and apologetic smile, bidding him a distracted thank you before shepherding her over-excited children away. The older kids usually ignored or snubbed the younger ones, and she appreciated that this boy had apparently taken time to make them feel included.

Zero chuckled as he watched Kaname hang up his gear. "You are good with kids," he observed before his smile turned teasing. "And you are such a smooth operator. You realize that woman just _thanked_ you for using her kids as soldiers and intentionally sending them out to soak up enemy fire."

Kaname chuckled, giving Zero a deviously innocent look. "I have no idea what you're talking about." Of course they both knew he did, Kaname was a ruthless tactician and the children had been perfect for decoys and frontal assaults because not only were they small and harder to hit, they didn't _care _if they got shot, as long as they got to run around and have fun. However, Zero also knew that if there had been any _real_ danger, Kaname's strategy would have been much different and he would have kept the children well out of harm's way.

Kaname untied his now somewhat rumpled suit coat from about his waist and shrugged back into it. He was too warm now, but he wasn't entirely comfortable walking around with it about his waist like that. He smoothed the rumpled sleeves absently with his hands and then checked the rose on his lapel. He'd actually made a semi-effort to be careful of it despite the chaos of the game, and it had come through in fine shape. Of course, Zero's flowers tended to be rather hardy and self-regenerating, which helped.

Zero was too hot and left his suit coat around his waist for the moment. Plus... silly as it may seem, he realized he'd forgotten to be careful of his own boutonniere, and he wanted to get a look at it before he let Kaname see whether he'd accidently wrecked it or not.

As they exited the weapon room, they saw that the team scores were up on the display behind the counter in the main game room and many of the players had congregated around the desk, pointing and talking. Apparently the arcade gave out prizes for high scores over a certain amount and stickers to the winning team.

Green team had won, all the players having fairly large scores. Four of them, including Kaname were up into the prize range for high scores, which was unusual because there was normally only one or two die-hard players that ever got up there in any given round and most games had no high score winners. The three other Green team teens who had won and their friends gave Kaname a friendly greeting when he and Zero emerged. They clapped the pureblood lightly on the back and arms in a chummy manner, obviously smart enough to realize that he was largely responsible for their success. They all seemed pretty hyper and practically dragged the pureblood up to the desk to choose his prize. One of the girls in the group was using the excuse of getting him up there as a reason to hang on his arm and casually press her body against his side.

Kaname acquiesced somewhat awkwardly, obviously trying to hide his discomfort and Zero laughed in amused delight. He knew that Kaname probably just hated being touched and hung on like that, not to mention being so closely surrounded by people. It was adorable to see the pureblood's faint, but distinct flush. Yet at the same time Kaname looked happy in a way. It wasn't often that he was treated so normally by random strangers, even if it was obviously embarrassing him.

Kaname shot Zero a _help me _look, but Zero just grinned and shrugged innocently.

"_What do you want me to do, shoot them?" _the hunter mouthed silently, knowing Kaname could more or less read his lips enough to get the idea.

Kaname gave him a withering glare. Zero was having way too much fun with his discomfiture. Kaname was very disconcerted by the girl who was happily pressed up against him and who was now _playing with his hair, for crying out loud! _So he quickly selected something from the prize case so he could escape. He chose a small, multi-color, battery operated party / disco light because it was the least cheesy looking thing there and because _damn _it was really hard to think with that girl breathing in his ear and rocking her breasts against him. _Seriously... _

"And there's Player 11!" the man behind the counter said as soon as he caught sight of Zero through the rest of the crowd. The attendant looked significantly less bored than earlier. Zero froze, the grin on his face vanishing in apprehension as his gaze traveled back to the scoreboard. Green team had won because their overall scores were the combined highest, but one player on Red team stood out as the highest score in the entire game, causing Red team to come in a very close second.

"Yes, you, come on down here," the man said, gesturing to Zero when the hunter hesitated. The happy throng was only too delighted to turn its attention to the hunter, sweeping him forwards. "We have _never _had anyone score that high," the young man behind the desk said, sounding pretty impressed as he handed Zero two coupons, one for a free all day pass at the arcade, and one for free food at Hungry Burger.

The other players whooped in congratulations and envy and it was Zero's turn to look discomfited by all the attention as he quickly took the coupons with a nod and tucked them into his pocket. "Thanks..."

"Wait, wait," the employee said when Zero tried to back away. "I want to get a picture of you with the score board. We'll hang it on the wall."

Zero was starting to seriously flush now. "No, that's okay, we have to go..." he tried to decline, but Kaname came up beside him with a dazzling and unhelpful smile.

"Oh come on, Zero, that's a _great _idea! It won't take long, will it?" he asked the attendant who produced a Polaroid camera in answer.

Zero scowled and the pureblood's smile widened. "Why don't you get in the shot too, my dear?" he said innocently to the girl still hanging on him like a barnacle, gently but firmly dislodging her and giving her a nudge towards Zero. The girl seemed to like the idea of getting in a photo that was going to hang on the wall of one of her favorite haunts and happily transferred to Zero's side, giving the hunter a deeply appreciative look and silently hoping that these two hotties decided to come here more often.

Zero shot Kaname a look that promised death as the girl leaned up against him. Kaname chuckled as she wrapped her arm around his waist and laid her head on Zero's shoulder, giving a peace sign with her other hand while a couple of her friends edged their way eagerly into the shot as well, making rabbit ears behind each other's heads and pointing at Zero like a celebrity.

The man with the camera seemed to guess that he wasn't going to get a clean shot, but it was good business to make the regulars happy anyway. "Hey, why don't you get in the picture too," he said to Kaname with a shrug, since just about everyone else was crowding into it anyway.

Kaname shrugged in return. _Why not? _He edged into the frame, managing to avoid going anywhere near barnacle girl and the attendant snapped the picture. The crowd broke up then and started trickling away, laughing and talking, moving on to other pursuits with the restlessness of youth. Kaname looked over to find that the girl was still with Zero. She'd produced a permanent marker from her pocket and appeared to be writing something on the hunter's hand. Zero looked like he was seriously considering yanking his hand away except that he possibly feared she might try to write on some other part of his body.

Kaname moved closer and saw that part the writing appeared to be a phone number. The girl looked up as she caught sight of him, marker poised and he backed up quickly. "I'll share his," he said quickly, pointing at Zero and making a show of being busy holding the box that contained his prize. The girl's friends were calling to her from across the arcade so she just laughed and sauntered away, blowing them both a kiss over her shoulder.

"Shall we leave... quickly?" Kaname inquired, looking over at Zero who looked like he very much wanted to wipe his hand on his pants, but didn't want to stain the slacks.

"Yes, very quickly," Zero agreed, but paused for a moment first. "Oh, but you can't forget this..." he said, quickly snatching up one of the stickers that had been given out to all the Green team players for their win.

Kaname eyed it like it might bite. "Yes. I can. I really can."

Zero shook his head resolutely, mischief in his eyes as he peeled the large round sticker off its backing. "Nope. You won it fair and square; you should wear it with pride." Deftly, he affixed the garish sticker declaring _"I kick laser butt!" _to Kaname's dark suit coat, just below the rose on his lapel.

Kaname made a face, akin to what one might expect if Zero had just placed a leach on him, but he let the hunter do as he wished. "Okay, _now _can we go?"

Zero chuckled. "Yes, now we can go."

The pair escaped into the blessedly cool night air, strolling quickly and purposefully away from the arcade and down the sidewalk. They got almost a block away before they both made the mistake of glancing at one another. Kaname with his sticker, suit sleeves seriously wrinkled and carrying his ridiculous little disco light and Zero discretely trying to rub the permanent marker message off his palm with his other hand... they both lost it and broke out laughing.

"Let me see, let me see what she wrote," Kaname said, tucking his box under one arm and trying to capture Zero's hand with the other as the hunter attempted to pull it away from him.

"_Noo..._" Zero swatted at him, laughing and attempting to keep pulling his hands away. Apparently the juvenility of their former companions was somewhat contagious.

"Why, is it embarrassing? Did she write something dirty? Let me see!" Kaname was chuckling so much one might almost have dared to call it giggling, as long as they did so out of his earshot.

Zero twisted his wrist in Kaname's grip, struggling playfully and backing up. "Why, are you jealous?"

"Yes, terribly," Kaname laughed, pursuing Zero backwards and finally trapping him against a wall and prying his hand up.

"Ow, ow, okay!" Zero protested through his laughter as the pureblood twisted his wrist around. He let Kaname have his way, now laughing so hard he could barely breathe. He didn't really know what was so funny... it was just that _everything _was somehow. "It's just her name, geez!"

Kaname grinned as he read the name above the phone number. "Aw, look at that, she dotted the 'i' with a heart. I think she wants to do you."

Zero laughed even harder, the improbability of Kaname talking like that stealing more of his breath away and forcing him to lean against the wall, almost in danger of sliding down it. "W-what? Oh no, _you're_ the one she was hanging all over; she was only interested in me for my fame," he retorted.

Kaname leaned in and kissed Zero teasingly but possessively. "Mm, well, never get so famous that you forget about me, huh?" he murmured, still chuckling.

Zero smiled back, the fingers of one hand curling lightly into Kaname's hair as he briefly returned the kiss. "That's my line," he murmured, a soft earnestness underlining the jest with a note of seriousness.

Kaname's eyes softened and he kissed Zero a little more tenderly. "Never," he promised softly, whispering against his lover's wonderful, intoxicating lips. "Totally impossible."

They separated a moment later and Zero straightened up. The night was quite cool now and his thin dress shirt was damp with perspiration, giving him a bit of a chill. He untied the arms of his suit coat from about his waist.

"Well, it looks like I already have our next date paid for," the hunter teased, remembering the coupons he'd won. "You said Hungry Burger was fine, right?"

Kaname laughed, working the earplugs out of his ears and discarding them in a nearby trashcan. "I don't know. How big was that coupon, you think we can afford it?"

Zero smirked. "Dunno, but we could always see if they take tokens..." he rattled his pocket which still had a few coins jangling around in it. "So, you have plans for your prize?"

Zero turned away a little as he shook the wrinkles out of his suit coat in order to discretely check on his orchid. _Shoot... _as he'd feared, he'd squashed the delicate blossom pretty good. Fortunately... he could fix that. He touched the petals lightly with his finger tips, coaxing the flower to regenerate. He'd found that he had that ability over plants, even ones he hadn't created. They responded to him. He could heal them or bring forth new growth. It was kind of cool, even if it seemed a trifle sissy and he wasn't about to add _"flower fixer" _to his resume any time soon. Pretty useful at the moment though.

Satisfied that his orchid was once more as lovely as it had been when Kaname gave it to him, Zero shrugged into his suit coat, attempting to smooth the wrinkles without much success. He and Kaname were both going to have to get their suits cleaned and pressed after tonight. But it had been oh so worth it.

Kaname considered the cardboard box holding his mini multi-colored disco ball with a wry smile. "Oh, I don't know, I thought I might use it as a center-piece on one of the office conference tables. Turn it on during meetings, just to see if anybody even says anything..." he joked sarcastically.

"You could tell them to get up and dance on the table and they wouldn't say anything..." Zero retorted wryly.

Kaname gave a small shudder. "Yes, but despite what you might think I don't actually like to _invite _traumatic experiences. A sight like that would give me nightmares..."

Zero cracked up again and rubbed his side ruefully, it ached from laughing so much. He hadn't had this much fun in... well... in he couldn't remember _how_ long, actually. Kaname's smile seemed to say that the same was true for him.

They started walking on again. Kaname slipped his free hand into his jacket pocket... and froze in his tracks. Quickly, the pureblood searched his other pocket. Then his pants pockets... ice formed in his stomach.

Zero realized something was wrong and turned back towards him with a concerned look. "What's the matter?"

Kaname looked up with an expression of alarm and loss that surprised the hunter. "It's gone," he murmured in shock, double checking his pockets but already knowing he wouldn't find the small velvet jewelry box that he sought.

Kaname turned on his heel and started striding swiftly and purposefully back the way they had come. "It's got to be at the arcade." He must have lost it there. He'd had it when they left the restaurant, he knew he had. It could easily have fallen from his pocket when they were playing laser tag. He should have been more careful. _It had to be there._ Unless... it had fallen out of his pocket when Zero had pushed him into the alley... or any other number of times the two of them had messed around during their walk...

_Well, damn. _If it wasn't at the arcade, he was going to have to call Seiren to come and search their entire path and start questioning people. Anyone could have picked it up, or one of the people in the crowd inside the arcade could even have lifted it from his pocket... but he really didn't think they had, he had been very conscious of every hand laid on his body and he would have felt that.

Still... if it had fallen out and someone had just found it and carried it off... that would be incredibly difficult to track down. Kaname felt sick, unconsciously walking faster and faster. _Brilliant, Kuran. Only you could be stupid enough to lose something so priceless and completely irreplaceable. _It had been in his family for millennia, and worse... it was to be _Zero's _and he'd been careless enough to lose it. _Unforgivable. _

Zero's brows furrowed as he quickly trotted to catch up, realizing that Kaname was quite upset, but not understanding why. "What? What's gone? Your wallet?" Somehow though, Zero didn't think Kaname would have been this distressed over losing something like that, even though with the amount of cash he carried, he should have been. But that wasn't Kaname's style. Despite his fondness for luxury, the pureblood was not very materialistic. Things could always be replaced and Kaname treated them with a casual disregard. Whatever Kaname had lost had to be pretty darn important to him to be garnering such a disturbed reaction.

"No, I..." Kaname faltered, realizing the awkward position he was in. He couldn't very well tell Zero exactly what it was he had lost, that would mess everything up. This was certainly NOT the way he wanted to tell Zero about the necklace. "It's a small burgundy box, about this big. I had it in my suit coat pocket and I think it must have fallen out in the arena," he said instead.

"A box?" Zero inquired, both puzzled and suspicious now. Surely, it wasn't the _box_ Kaname was worried about and he didn't miss the fact that the pureblood was hedging. "What's in the box?"

Kaname remained silent as they neared the arcade once more.

"Is it a gift?" Zero guessed slowly, starting to feel somewhat apprehensive. Small box... like a _jewelry_ box? One that Kaname had taken with him on a _date? _Kaname, who was an incurable romantic and who had initiated the whole date idea out of the blue in the first place? _Oh, crap..._ _Kaname... please tell me you didn't..._

"Yes," Kaname murmured, avoiding looking at Zero.

Zero swallowed. _Crap, crap, crap... _"For me?" he prodded, reluctantly dragging the info out of Kaname piece at a time, twenty-questions style.

Kaname reached the door of the arcade and paused, leaning against the handle and nearly pressing his forehead against the glass as he continued studiously avoiding Zero. He could tell from Zero's tone that the hunter was dreading rather than anticipating his answer. "Yes," he murmured again and the rawness in his whisper speared Zero to the core.

"Kaname..."

Kaname turned to face him swiftly. "It's not a ring or anything like that," he blurted softly, still unable to meet Zero's gaze but practically able to _feel _what the other was fearing. His normally pale cheeks had flushed painfully, although it was quite an attractive look on him. _Could this _be _any more awkward?! This was __**not **__the way this was supposed to happen. _"It's just... something. I thought... It doesn't matter. Forget it. Just help me find it and you don't have to worry about it."

Zero felt more relieved than he'd admit. He was totally committed to Kaname, but there were some social conventions and perceptions he wasn't comfortable having to confront or figure out yet and he'd been afraid that Kaname was going to make him do so before he was ready.

The raw vulnerability in Kaname's manner and his urgency to find whatever was in the box moved the hunter deeply. Whatever Kaname _had_ wanted to give him, the pureblood's distress at losing it said he must value it rather highly. How could he not love Kaname for apparently wanting to give him something so precious, no matter what it might be? The hunter felt a gut-deep yearning to make everything okay for his lover and take the worry out of his beautiful eyes.

"Hey," Zero caught Kaname's cheek in his hand and tilted the pureblood's head so he had to look at him. "Of course I'll help you. It's got to be here, Kaname, like you said. I'm sure it just fell out when we were playing. It's okay, we'll find it," he promised. This was obviously important to Kaname. If he had to crawl through the place on hands in knees with a magnifying glass and look in every corner, he'd find it for him.


	6. Lost and Found

_A/N: This was almost the last chapter, but it was getting too long, so I split this bit off of it to go by itself. So if it doesn't exactly seem to go anywhere on its own, that's why, it's basically leading into the next chappie. _

**Chapter Six: "Lost and Found"**

A quick scan of the main area of the arcade turned up nothing more than some curious glances and Kaname obtained the desk attendant's permission to go in and search the now empty laser tag arena. The two vampires were fortunate that the game in which they had participated had been the last one of the evening, otherwise the arena would already have been occupied again.

Not that that would have been likely to stop Kaname. Zero was having visions of the pureblood emptying the arena – one way or another, with or _without_ the coerced help of the attendant – and was silently grateful for their good fortune in avoiding making any more of a scene than could be helped.

The door to the arena wasn't locked, so with the attendant's permission, the two vampires simply let themselves in. The room seemed even larger when it was empty. Kaname took one side, starting by the door and Zero took the other, heading for the far wall. Intending to meet in the middle, both of them started a methodical search around, behind and underneath all the various structures and obstacles. The arena was a giant maze, intended to promote concealment, and there were a million places for a small box to have fallen out of sight or gotten kicked beneath. The attendant had turned the lights on for them, but fully lit in this room was still equivalent to twilight and it was a good thing that both boys had good night vision.

Vision wasn't Zero's only sense that was keen and as he drew nearer to the far wall, he was quickly aware of other presences hidden at the very back of the supposedly deserted arena, masked from easy notice by the strong pulse of humanity radiating from the nearby arcade and the passers by outside in the street. An odd, sweet smell drifted to him, along with the definite sensation of more than one presence.

Zero's warning flags went up and his body tensed, his steps turning completely silent. He automatically reached into his jacket before remembering that of course, he didn't have his gun with him.

Kaname might or might not already be aware of the other presences, even from the other side of the spacious arena, but Zero doubted it. Kaname was closest to the arcade and the large number of people there would be clouding his senses. The hunter understood now, why Kaname didn't like crowds much. Hyper keen vampire senses became less useful when they were inundated by too much input. Zero intended to check the situation out before drawing attention to it. There were many perfectly innocent reasons for people to be in here and already, he was ascertaining that whoever they were, they were human. So, unless they were hunters, the threat wasn't too high. Still, he remained alert. No one with harmful intentions was going to get to Kaname because of a lack of watchfulness on his part - that was a promise.

The people were hidden from easy view by one of the shadowy game towers, but as he drew closer Zero saw two slight, feminine figures loitering near the emergency exit. They were smoking something that didn't look or smell like cigarettes and Zero understood immediately why they had sneaked back here to do so. The ends of the short blunts glowed faintly in the dim light, illuminating their faces a little. The old door beside them was cracked open a couple inches. Although apparently not open enough to make the building's alarm system sound, the fresh air from the outside created a mild draft in the empty room, sucking most of the smoke out into the night and explaining why the scent was not more prevalent in the arena.

One of the girls leaned against the wall; the other was looking around a bit warily, probably wondering why the lights had come on. Deciding they were not a threat, Zero started to turn away to return to his search, but the girl who was looking around caught sight of him. Zero cringed inwardly. It was barnacle girl, also known as Nikki, according to the embarrassing note still scribbled on his hand. Her eyes lit up in recognition upon seeing him. _Great. Apparently he had no luck at all tonight. _

Zero quickly strode away and started studiously searching around several of the colorful plastic barrels near the wall. Nikki and her friend looked pretty well on their way to getting wasted if the glassy-eyed look he'd glimpsed was any indication, so maybe they'd just ignore him.

And maybe pigs would fly if they had wings.

The second girl stayed by the door, sliding down to sit on the floor in a comfortable haze once she realized that Zero wasn't the attendant and they weren't about to get busted, but Nikki seemed more alert and she followed him. The sweetly cloying scent of the mild narcotic she was smoking was strong about her as she sidled up beside him. "Hey, it's you again. Miss me?" she giggled softly, her body language unnaturally relaxed and her manner suggesting some kind of intoxication. She rested her hand on his back as he stooped to look under a ramp.

Zero realized that she was already stoned and tried not to be too irritated. _Geez_, it hadn't been that long since he'd last seen her, she must smoke quick or else have a low tolerance. He didn't really care to be honest. He shrugged her hand off of him and ignored her, crossing over to the base of another ramp and looking all around it before checking along the wall. _It had to be here somewhere. Please don't let us have lost it anywhere else. _Kaname seemed so distraught, Zero really wanted to find the box, and quickly.

Nikki was apparently past taking a hint. "Want some?" she offered, proffering her blunt towards Zero magnanimously as the hunter dropped to his hands and knees, peering under a lime green crate.

Zero shot her a glare as he straightened up and dusted off his palms. "No, I'm busy." Okay, so tact had never been his thing and he really wasn't in the mood for distractions right now.

Forget hints, Nikki was apparently impervious to direct statements either. She grinned as if he were simply being coy and reached into her jeans pocket, pulling out a small plastic bag filled with some kind of powder. She waggled it like a prize. "Okay, okay... I got better stuff. I'll share..." she offered in a giggly seductive tone. She wrapped her arms around his waist suggestively. "Come _on_... lighten up and live a little..." Without warning and much to Zero's shock and chagrin, Nikki leaned in against the hunter and kissed him aggressively on the mouth.

On the other side of the arena, Kaname's sharp hearing picked up voices. As quick and quiet as a cat, he ascended one of the hanging second level walkways, making his way silently towards the source. He was concerned for Zero's safety for a moment, but when he reached the source of the voices, that quickly melted into other emotions. Amusement, certainly, but also... he hated to admit it... a small but distinct spark of jealousy. His jaw tensed silently as he saw Nikki coming onto Zero. He didn't want these emotions, but he couldn't help the way his pulse pounded in his temples and his chest tightened as he saw her running her hands across Zero's butt, pressing her attractive little body to his and trying to claim his mouth. _She had no right. _

Kaname fought the overwhelming instinctual urge to kill her. _That, _he knew would be a gross overreaction and Zero would get upset with him. _Do not overreact. Do not overreact. _Kaname sucked air into his lungs deeply, containing the dangerous urges with admirable self-control. Zero could deal with this just fine. He trusted Zero. He knew he hadn't invited this attention or contact.

Yet... that didn't entirely help the ache that had spawned unbidden in his chest. He knew Zero would reject the girl's advances, because the hunter wasn't that type of person. But deep down... did Zero wish he were free to see where this might lead? Zero was young, full of life and young men's desires... did he regret that he was already bound to one lover? A lover who wasn't even from his preferred gender?

Despite knowing Zero loved him, there was still a small, niggling concern in the back of Kaname's head that Zero did, in fact, like girls and since Kaname _wasn't _one, that was something he couldn't give him. Heck, Zero didn't even like hearing the two of them referred to as _boyfriends_ and Kaname suddenly wondered if that was just because of the term itself, or because it had been a couple of young women who had labeled them such. He didn't expect Zero to go for someone like _this_ girl - Zero had _taste _after all - but still, just the thought that the hunter might want something other than him someday was enough to make the pureblood feel sick. Kaname gripped the metal railing tightly, trying without success to tell himself that he was being stupidly childish.

Zero was caught off guard by Nikki's unexpected advance. "Wh- hey! What the hell?!" the hunter spluttered, turning his head to get his mouth free and back-pedaling quickly. This girl was crazy! "What is your problem?!" Embarrassment flooded him. He couldn't pretend that the body contact hadn't been exciting on a purely physical level, but irritation was his current overriding emotion. This girl was seriously screwed up. He'd never even _seen _her before tonight and she was acting like this?!

Zero pried the girl's arms from around his waist and shoved her away, only to have her follow, almost struggling with him as if this was all some kind of game. She didn't seem entirely in touch with reality. To a certain extent, it wasn't the first time he'd seen someone make an idiot out of themselves. He'd been a Prefect at Cross Academy for several years after all and those Day Class girls had been enough to scar anyone for life, but at least they'd been going to the same school as the objects of their obsessions. Nikki was a total stranger and this was just ridiculous. Zero eyed the bag that had fallen to the floor during the small scuffle. Okay, maybe it wasn't a matter of her being quick or having a low tolerance, maybe this girl was already on something a lot more powerful than what she was smoking. That would explain her overall erratic and impulsive behavior. He frowned. As someone who had had the consuming, life-altering addiction for blood forced on him, it upset him to see people who walked themselves into other kinds of destructive addictions willingly. It also upset him how vulnerably the stupid girl was presenting herself. If he was more of a predator, either human or vampire, he could take advantage of her so easily right now it wasn't even funny. _Sheesh._

"Stop it! Get off me! I don't want _that _and I don't want you," he said bluntly. This was incredibly humiliating and he did _not _have time for it. Finally giving up on being overly gentle, Zero gave her a more powerful shove that separated them, backing up quickly. "Just. Leave. Me. Alone," he growled, striding quickly away to the other wall and starting to ascend one of the ramps to the elevated levels.

Soft sounds behind him arrested his escape and he reluctantly halted with an exasperated sigh. _Oh. Crap. _Nikki was crying. It had been a while since he'd made a girl cry. Except in the case of someone dear to him, he'd gotten kind of immune to that back during his Cross Academy days. Being a Prefect and keeping order sometimes meant setting off the over-emotional who didn't realize that he was trying to freaking protect them.

Zero wondered if Kaname was making him soft or something, because he felt guilty for causing tears, even though he didn't know this girl and she was kind of being a pain in the butt. Slowly, he turned back towards Nikki, although remaining on the ramp, a hopefully safe distance away. "Look... I didn't mean to be sharp, okay? I'm just busy right now. My..." Zero faltered, realizing what he had, unthinkably, been just about to say to her. He hesitated, a sudden, strange flush of heat churning uneasily in his stomach. _You big coward, this girl's high as a kite, hanging all over a perfect stranger and you're afraid to use a _word? _Just say it. Why not? What are you ashamed of? _Zero's shoulders squared slightly. He wasn't ashamed. He wasn't one little bit ashamed of who he loved.

"My boyfriend lost something important, and I'm trying to help him look for it, so I have to go," he said quietly. Using that term towards Kaname was hard, but somehow freeing at the same time. _There. _He'd said it.

Suddenly, Zero felt a small spike of emotion, an unintentional tug in the bond he shared with Kaname and his head jerked up. His startled gaze found the pureblood standing silently above on the elevated walkway opposite the hunter. The pureblood was almost invisible in the dim light, his dark suit and hair blending into the shadows with unnatural ease. Zero suddenly wondered how long Kaname had been there. Apparently, long enough to hear what he'd just said...

Zero felt his face burn for about the billionth time that evening, but the look in Kaname's almost shocked eyes was incredibly soft and deep. The hunter swallowed, staring transfixed.

A small, deeply touched smile danced at the corners of Kaname's mouth. He'd not expected to hear Zero refer to him in that manner, especially unprompted to a complete stranger when the hunter obviously didn't even know Kaname was eavesdropping. To many people those words were no big deal, but Kaname knew quite well that for Zero to use them _was _a big deal. The hunter was an incredibly kind and generous soul, but verbal affection was not his strong suit. Maybe it was terribly silly, but hearing that small acknowledgement of their relationship from Zero at a time when Kaname had been feeling so insecure and the hunter hadn't _had_ to mention it at all meant a lot to the pureblood. It erased the ache in his chest from a few moments ago and quieted his fears.

Nikki, blissfully unaware of the silent exchange taking place, blinked as if trying to comprehend Zero's statement. "Oh," was all she said for a moment. Then, the _boyfriend _bit finally seemed to register and she recalled the stunning brunette that she had seen Zero with earlier. _"Oh." _

She looked both intrigued and relieved; as if Zero having a boyfriend meant that she took his rejection of her a lot less personally. She actually brightened and wiped her eyes, although it could have been her unstable mood in play as well. "Okay, I'll help you look. What did he lose?"

"Um, well, some kind of jewelry box," Zero replied, already caught between being distracted by thoughts of where to start looking next and the fact that Kaname was still watching him appreciatively from the other walkway.

Nikki suddenly dashed off back to where she'd left her friend by the emergency exit and Zero wondered if her attention limit had suddenly expired or something. _Whatever. _ He had just turned to start up the walkway again when Nikki reappeared at the base of the ramp, having retrieved something from her purse.

"Like this one?" she asked innocently, holding up a small, burgundy jewelry box in one hand.

Zero didn't know it by sight, so he wasn't sure, but Kaname was suddenly standing at Nikki's side, his hand curled firmly over hers. "Yes, it is," he said simply as he plucked the box from her fingers.

Nikki flinched, giving a soft yelp at his sudden and unexpected appearance and cringing away a step at the not entirely friendly aura that Kaname was directing at her. "I-I tripped over it on the way in here, I thought it was one of the arcade prizes somebody had lost," she babbled, suddenly nervous and almost afraid although she didn't know why. "I didn't know it was yours."

Zero cast the pureblood a slight, warning scowl. _Moving way too fast again, and cut it with the aura. In her condition she's likely to have a heart attack. _

Kaname looked like he couldn't have cared less about her health, but he did scale back on the negative vibes. He clicked the lid of the small box open quickly, keeping it turned away from Zero so the hunter couldn't see the contents as he checked to be sure the necklace was still inside and all right. Thankfully, it was. Kaname felt the sickening knot in his stomach start to slide loose, a giddy wash of relief taking its place.

In the dim, black lighting of the arena, the stone and the white gold both looked a funny neon-ish color. He could see how it might have been mistaken for nothing but a trinket, especially to mere, human eyes. Thank God the girl had no idea what she'd actually found or she would probably never have returned it voluntarily. Intense relief made Kaname a little more kindly disposed and he gave Nikki a smile.

"Of course. Thank you for finding and returning it. I appreciate it very much," he said graciously, trying to keep in mind that she hadn't _had _to volunteer it so quickly. He didn't like this girl at all, but he was so good at acting charming that you wouldn't have known it as he gave her a small, appreciative nod. He turned to go and gestured to Zero to come, slipping the box safely back into his pocket. "Good evening, then."

Nikki smiled back uncertainly, not sure if she was sad or relieved to see them go. She'd been intensely attracted to the brunette earlier, but something about him just now had given her the creeps. Zero came back down the ramp and joined Kaname, but he paused, glancing back with a troubled expression as he watched Nikki bend to pick up the bag of drugs that had fallen earlier and put it back in her jeans pocket.

Kaname caught the look and followed his gaze. His eyes softened slightly as he observed the hunter's concern. It was so like Zero to be worried about a complete stranger. The hunter was the kind of person who would bring a stray kitten in out of the rain, feed it, dry it, wrap it in blankets, tenderly make sure it was okay... and then pretend like he'd just been tired of listening to it mewl under his window and simply wanted it to shut up. By now, Kaname knew better.

The pureblood held up his hand in a gesture indicating that he wanted Zero to wait for him before retracing his steps back towards Nikki. This wasn't for her sake, but to make Zero happy... there was a lot he'd do to make Zero happy.

Zero looked at Kaname quizzically and hesitated, wondering what the pureblood was up to now.

"Young lady? One more thing..." Kaname said as he approached, causing Nikki to start and look up. Without warning, Kaname captured her face between his hands and pressed his forehead lightly to hers.

Zero frowned in puzzlement, then started quickly retracing his steps towards them when he felt Kaname's aura shifting in his hunter senses and realized that the pureblood was flexing his powers in some manner. "Kaname? What are you doing... _Kaname?_" Zero hissed softly, starting to get a little worried as he reached them.

Kaname stroked Nikki's temples lightly with his thumbs and then straightened. She seemed dazed, her gaze blank in a way that had nothing to do with drugs this time. "Now," Kaname whispered in an alluringly soothing voice. "You don't need these anymore, do you?" he touched the pocket holding the drugs lightly.

As if in a trance, Nikki slowly shook her head.

"Good," Kaname purred in approval. "Then you should go get rid of them. You'll find other ways to feel good from now on, won't you?" he murmured. Again he was answered by a trancelike nod.

"That's a good girl," the pureblood said softly and Nikki looked dazedly happy at his approval. If Zero didn't realize that Kaname was actually trying to help her, this would have been both frightening and disturbing. Nikki was obviously under Kaname's influence in some way.

"Now go home and get some good sleep, tomorrow, you'll feel wonderful for having made this decision," Kaname finished his instructions softly and touched her face one more time.

Nikki seemed to snap out of whatever hypnotic trance she had been in and blinked owlishly. She looked almost surprised to see Kaname and Zero standing there, but then just smiled at them and ambled off to find her friend. "Trish? Trish, come on, let's go home..."

The two vampires took their leave quickly and quietly, thanking the attendant and letting him know they'd found what they were looking for before making their second and hopefully final exit for the night. Once they were outside, Zero turned an unreadable look on Kaname.

"What did you do to her?" he asked softly. It was quieter out here now. The hour was growing late and the traffic on the sidewalks had thinned. A cool night breeze ruffled Zero's hair.

Kaname gazed at the hunter silently for a moment. "I didn't hurt her. You seemed concerned about her use of narcotics," he said simply. "So I merely _suggested _to her that she didn't need them anymore and planted the memory of her deciding it for herself so she'll have a reason for the change. She may go through some withdrawal, but I don't think she was a serious user yet. She might relapse I suppose, but it's amazing what a firm resolution can do for one. If she sticks with it, she'll be better off in the long run. That's what you wanted, isn't it?" The pureblood sounded a trifle wary, as if suddenly wondering whether doing that in front of Zero had been such a good idea. The ex-human generally held a dim view of tampering with people's free will. Kaname hadn't thought of it in that light at the time. _Crap. _

Zero gave the pureblood a wry, slightly wondering smile. "Oh, is that _all._" He knew Kaname had the ability to alter memories and influence minds, both human and vampire, he'd just never thought of putting it to such a use. Kaname's hesitant defensiveness quickly alerted him that the pureblood might have taken his question as an accusation. There was certainly a huge grey area here, but even if Kaname did have a tendency to simply 'fix' things without considering how anyone else might feel about it, he could see that the pureblood had had the best of intentions at heart in this instance.

"I didn't..." Zero wasn't sure how to say what he _hadn't_ meant and decided to say what he _did_ mean instead. "I think what you did for her was pretty nice," he murmured, his eyes filled with quiet appreciation. Kaname's power was impressive, but more important to Zero, was how he chose to use it.

"I did it for _you,_" Kaname clarified softly, his gaze holding Zero's. Kaname knew he would not have stopped to consider the girl as anything but a nuisance without Zero present. The hunter brought out that side of him.

Zero smiled and looked away self consciously, not sure how to respond to that. "Oh... well... thanks." He cleared his throat. "So..." he changed the subject, a hesitant but intrigued look coming in his amethyst eyes. "Now that we've successfully recovered it... what's in the box?" he nodded towards Kaname's jacket pocket. The pureblood's hand was still in there, as if he was afraid to let the thing out of his grip again.

After realizing how much importance Kaname attached to it, Zero was quite prepared to be properly appreciative of whatever probably sappy and embarrassing thing Kaname had gotten him. And, truth be told... he was more than a little curious now.

Zero's interest climbed rapidly as Kaname's pale cheeks flushed again and the pureblood took on an adorably uncertain look. It was very, very hard to fluster or embarrass Kaname, or at least to get him to show it, and Zero thought he was endearingly attractive like that.

Kaname was uncharacteristically at a loss for words. He hadn't planned for this; he didn't know what to do. It wasn't supposed to happen this way. "Zero... I-I don't think..."

"Come on, you said it was for me..." Zero prodded with a smile, enjoying the pureblood's lovely lack of balance and finding that he really, truly was eager to know what could possibly have Kaname so flustered. Far from dreading it now, he found he was itching with a curiosity that was fairly unusual for him. There was still so much he was learning about his lover. He wanted to know what Kaname thought was special.

"So? Give." Zero held out his hand with a teasing smile, waggling his fingers.

Kaname hesitated, the jewelry box gripped tightly in one hand while the fingers of his other hand worried at the edge of the cardboard box from the arcade, which he was once again carrying. Zero probably hadn't even noticed when he'd set it down and when he'd picked it back up again, but Kaname was excellent at keeping track of details, at making sure things came out like they should. Except that _this, _this very important moment, was not coming out at all like it should.

The pureblood was pleased to see that Zero actually seemed to be quite interested in the gift now, but it... it felt _wrong _to just hand it over like this. He didn't know if Zero would get the significance of it. What if, after Kaname's embarrassingly panicky reaction to losing it, Zero was expecting something else? What if when he saw what it actually was, he was disappointed...? Kaname was making himself almost sick with the spinning concerns. It was ridiculous. He knew that. But...

"N-not like this. The setting... it's all wrong. I wanted..." Kaname bit his lower lip, his face flushing harder at how unbelievably childish he was being. _God, you should just give it to him and get it over with, he's going to think you're such a moron now. _"I wanted it to be special," he whispered faintly.

Zero's eyes softened. Kaname looked miserable and he was practically radiating embarrassed heat. Wow... this really _was _important to Kaname, more so than Zero could understand, apparently. Gently, Zero caressed Kaname's burning cheek with the back of his hand. Kaname leaned instinctively into the tender touch, finding the coolness of the hunter's fingers soothing.

"Okay," Zero whispered, his expression more quiet and serious now. He lightly drew Kaname's hand out of his pocket and entwined their fingers together.

Kaname looked at him, relieved, but puzzled as Zero checked the street for traffic and then tugged on Kaname's hand, leading him across the avenue and towards the dark void created by the silent park.

"Zero, where...?" Kaname started to ask where they were going as Zero didn't stop at the sidewalk, but continued out into the grass, leading Kaname down the grassy slope that led away from the road and towards the whispering trees beyond.

In the moonlight, Zero's hair shone like spun silver as he turned and gave Kaname a tender, impish smile, putting his other finger to his lips. "Shh," he hushed Kaname's inquiry. "Trust me."

Those two words and that look were quite enough to gain complete, blind obedience from the pureblood who simply twined his fingers even further with the hunters and followed his lead. The cool air slowly started to sooth his burning cheeks and his emotions settled. _Trust you, Zero? With my life... no, with something far more perilous than that... with my heart. _

They walked in silence for several minutes, passing through murmuring strands of tress and across windswept plains of grass that were painted with the milky light of the moon, dim to human eyes, but perfectly clear to vampires. Every now and again, Zero would pause and look around them, as if considering their surroundings or searching for something unknown. Always, he seemed to not find what he sought and would move on again with a little shake of his head and a squeeze to Kaname's hand.

They lost themselves deeper and deeper into the park and soon Kaname could tell they were very near the lake from the increasing scent of water and the sound of lapping waves. The ground sloped up and they found themselves climbing a small but steep hill.

Kaname wondered again what Zero was looking for and where they were going, but he didn't ask. He was perfectly content to wander like this with his lover forever. Zero seemed to have relaxed and mellowed so much in comparison to the tense way he'd behaved earlier, the pureblood found it delicious. The park was quiet and peaceful, the sounds and sensory input of humanity fading behind them, buffered by nature. The moon, the stars, Zero by his side... Kaname honestly couldn't think of anywhere he'd rather be.

Zero found himself glancing across at Kaname repeatedly as they mounted the hill. The pureblood hadn't questioned him once, seeming content to let Zero lead. The hunter was enjoying this - very, very much. They'd had a wonderful evening full of unexpected enjoyment. They were alone. He was walking hand in hand with Kaname under the stars, and it was beautiful. He was not entirely wandering aimlessly though, even if it seemed so. He was looking for something, he just didn't know where it would be because he was unfamiliar with this park, but he'd know it when they got there.

At the top of the hill, Zero finally found what he was looking for. The earth leveled out, creating a broad, rolling expanse of moon-drenched grass. There were trees off to the right and empty picnic tables nestled in amongst tasteful shrubbery off to the left. Ahead of them, the earth sloped down again, falling away to meet a vast, glistening expanse of water. The lake was calm, rippling peacefully as it lapped gently at the shore. The moon caught and glimmered on the crests of the small ripples as if each one was encrusted with diamonds. Above, the inky heavens mirrored back the bright pinpricks of light with a multitude of twinkling stars. Off in the distance, the glow of the houses that bordered the distant shore added to the cornucopia of lights, clustered like sparkling lace around the velvet and diamond blackness of the lake. The view was breathtaking.

For a moment, both vampires just soaked it in, appreciating it in silence. They stood beside one another, shoulders brushing lightly, hands still clasped. In the silence, Zero's gaze slid away from the lovely vista before him, and onto the one that was next to him.

Kaname almost disappeared into the night, even to vampire vision. His dark hair faded into the sky and his dark eyes caught the light of the stars as he gazed out across the lake. Only his skin stood out, pale and almost luminescent. It was as if the shadows hugged him lovingly and the moon took extra care to paint the delicate lines of his creamy, porcelain skin. _He _was breathtaking.

Kaname felt Zero's gaze and turned to regard him with a small, twinkling smile. The hunter's gorgeous amethyst eyes looked more silver than usual in the moonlight. They gave away his thoughts quite clearly, even as Kaname's tender and completely besotted expression probably did the same.

"There," Zero murmured, breaking the long silence at last. He gave Kaname's hand a final squeeze. "Found it."


	7. Lead Me, Follow Me, Love Me

_A/N: And we've finally reached the end. :) There will be a bonus scene / chapter coming soon that encompasses what happens in the, er, strategic "fade to black" part right near the end, but I will post that either on my blog or as a one-shot story here on FFN, because it's rating will definitely be higher than the rating for this story. Thanks for reading! As always, a link to my review responses for the last chapter can be found on my bio page. _

**Chapter Seven: "Lead Me, Follow Me, Love Me"**

Kaname tilted his head curiously, finding himself willingly enraptured by Zero's gaze. "Found what?"

"Someplace special," Zero returned softly. He wasn't sure why he was whispering, but the setting just seemed to dictate hushed tones. "That's what you said you wanted, right?"

Sudden understanding blossomed in Kaname's mind and he smiled. A faint hint of color returned to his cheeks, but it was pleased embarrassment this time. He was incredibly touched that Zero had done this, that Zero had understood and accepted his need for this to be something more than ordinary.

Zero was relieved to see that Kaname seemed to be okay with his reasons for coming out here. This was really being rather forward for him, but it just _felt_ right. And if it made Kaname smile... if it made him happy... then the hunter could ask for nothing more.

"What do you think?" Zero asked, still sort of whispering. "Is this setting good enough?"

Kaname caressed Zero's cheek lightly, looking at him with an unusual, unspeakably dear shyness that the hunter rarely saw in him. "It's perfect," he murmured back. "Absolutely perfect." Stooping to set the cardboard box he was carrying down on the ground, the pureblood straightened back up and finally reached into his pocket, withdrawing the jewelry box.

This wasn't the way Kaname had planned it, but then, nothing with Zero ever seemed to be quite as he planned it. Yet strangely, that was okay. Actually, he thought, as he brought the box up and pressed it softly into Zero's waiting hand, this was _better_ than he could have planned.

_Zero_ had picked the place, and was looking at him with such tender expectation it made his heart flip flop right out of his chest. The silent park around them was like their own private little domain and the moonlight made the hunter's eyes shine like precious gems. Yes, this was better than anything he could have planned out ahead of time - just like his whole, unexpected, unlikely, unimaginably wonderful relationship with Zero had turned out to be.

Zero was hyper aware of the warmth of Kaname's fingers and the soft velvet of the box as the pureblood passed the gift to him. It didn't even matter _what_ it was at this point, Kaname's eagerness to give it to him was as precious a gift as the hunter could ever have asked for. Zero hesitated a moment, then slowly cracked the lid of the box open. He realized his heart was pounding and he didn't even know why.

Kaname's heart was pounding too. His mouth felt dry and his stomach queasy. He felt like a complete bundle of nerves as Zero opened the lid of the box so slowly he thought he might go mad. He was torn between eagerness to see Zero's reaction and dread that it might be disappointment or perhaps merely placation. _Please, let me have done this right. Let this mean to him what I want it to mean. _

Zero really didn't know what to expect, so he was ready for anything as the box clicked open to reveal the small pendant resting on the dark velvet. The white gold glistened brilliantly in the moonlight and the stone was radiant. In this lighting, the royal plum cast of the crimson-purple stone was even more accentuated and the gem seemed almost to glow from within.

"Kaname... it's beautiful," Zero breathed honestly, as he traced his finger tips over the polished surface of the intricate metal work. The outline was familiar... and suddenly Zero realized that that was because it was roughly the same shape that was emblazoned in the blood seal behind his ear - a 3D representation of Kaname's family crest.

Zero suddenly froze, his hand pulling back from the pendant as a sense of familiarity washed over him. He had the unexpected, intense feeling that he'd seen this necklace before. A whirl of images from the past flooded through his mind. _A locked safe... Kaname's burned hand... a rooftop under searchlights and the whir of a helicopter rotor..._ Zero blinked, reaching out again, hesitantly, as if inexorably drawn to touch the smooth stone, but suddenly not sure that he had a right to do so. _It seemed a little different than he remembered, but it looked an awful lot like..._

Awe and shock colored Zero's expression. His fingers stopped just shy of touching the smooth surface of the stone and his gaze quickly darted up to Kaname, who he found was watching him expectantly.

"K-Kaname... isn't this...?"

The pureblood nodded. He was on pins and needles trying to discern Zero's reaction. The hunter had seemed pleased, but... "Yes," he whispered hesitantly. "It was my mother's."

Zero had been with him the night he broke into Ichijo Enterprises headquarters and stole the pendant back from Asato Ichijo's safe. Actually, that had been the same night that he and Zero had first consummated the physical side of their bond as well. The first of many times that Zero had saved his soul from darkness. He thought perhaps, it made the gift even more appropriate in a way.

"I've had it erased and had the stone re-set... to you," the pureblood murmured, his gaze holding Zero intently.

Zero could hardly believe it. Something this precious... something that meant this much to Kaname... one of the few physical connections he had with his past... he couldn't believe Kaname was giving it to _him_. Zero knew what it was to lose everything, and how precious were the few things one could hold onto after the ashes settled. From nowhere, he felt the strange prickle of tears at the back of his eyes. His fingers ghosted again over the polished white gold and he felt a strange, pleasantly warm buzz when his fingertips just brushed the edge of the stone, as if it was in some way, alive. He felt drawn to the pendant in a way he couldn't explain. It was as if they resonated together in some fashion that felt very right. It was very probably the effect of its having been bound to his blood. He pulled back with effort.

"I-I can't..." he looked up at Kaname with wonder and heartbreaking awe. "I can't take this. It's way too precious. This is _yours, _Kaname. It's like a - an heirloom of your house or something, you shouldn't give it to _me_..." _Good God, _no wonder Kaname flipped out thinking this had been lost, it was one of those rare things that truly were irreplaceable, even just from a sentimental standpoint was probably insanely valuable too.

For a heart stopping moment, Kaname had started to feel the ground drop out from under him when he thought Zero was rejecting the gift, but then his lover continued speaking and the look on that beautiful, earnest face told a very different story. It wasn't that Zero didn't _want_ the gift, quite the opposite, he felt it was _too_ precious and that he was somehow unworthy of it. Well, _that_ was purely ridiculous.

Kaname gave a soft, brilliant smile and the light of a million stars seemed to shimmer in his eyes. "Oh, Zero... who else wouldI give it to? _You _are my house. _You _are my family. _You _are the other half of my heart. For my parents, this was a symbol of their undying love. I... I would like it to be the same for us."

Zero couldn't swallow properly. There was this huge, beautifully aching lump in his throat that was getting in the way. Stupid lump. It was hard to see too, because his eyes were getting blurry with silly, sissy tears that just wouldn't go away either. But he couldn't even bring himself to care, because he felt too damn happy to worry about anything else. His happiness overflowed in soft, translucent tears that traced silently down his cheeks as he pulled the necklace from the box, cupping the pendant in his hand and letting the leather cord dangle. The stone pulsed very faintly in his grip, almost like a heartbeat.

Kaname felt his own eyes burn and his throat constrict, relief and joy jumbling together. He'd wanted Zero to know how much he loved him, and he kind of felt like that had been a success. Zero's soft tears of happiness touched his heart in a way so deep it brought answering tears to Kaname's cheeks. He didn't try to hide them. He let them fall, displaying for Zero the pureblood tears that only the hunter was ever allowed to see.

"You like it?" Kaname whispered hoarsely, his smile achingly deep.

Zero grinned, half laughing, half choking on that damn lump still lodged firmly in his throat. "I _love_ it, Kaname, thank you." His thanks went for so much more than just the physical gift, it was for the home that Kaname had given him, for the family they had become, and for the love that bound them together.

Zero held the necklace out, shy now as he wiped the embarrassing tears away on the back of his sleeve. "Put it on for me?" he requested in a whisper. He wasn't really trusting himself to be steady enough to work anything as delicate and complicated as a clasp right now. Besides, Kaname kind of looked like wanted to.

Kaname was only too happy to oblige. Taking the necklace from Zero, he crossed behind the hunter. He reached around Zero, settling the cord about his throat before carefully fastening the hasp and tucking it down inside the hunter's collar.

The cord was just the right length so the pendant lay against Zero's chest, near his heart. It looked very natural against his pale skin as it rested just above the end of the V formed by his open collar.

Kaname moved around in front of Zero again to get a look, and he smiled softly at the sight of it nestled against Zero's skin. It went very nicely with the hunter's outfit and with his coloring, as Kaname had hoped. He was also a little relieved to see that on Zero, it didn't look at all feminine either. The pureblood reached out and lightly covered the pendant with his hand, his fingers warm against Zero's chest. He could feel the hunter's heartbeat under his hand, almost seeming to reverberate in the stone.

He did not feel the soft buzz he used to sense, when touching the necklace. He'd only been able to work the memory stone at all before because he was a descendant of his mother's bloodline. Now that it was keyed to Zero instead, he could control it no longer. It was Zero's special box of memories now, for the hunter alone to treasure and to share only if he wanted to. Kaname wouldn't have wanted it any other way.

Zero's warm lilac gaze held his, still looking a little awed as if questioning whether Kaname was really sure about this. Kaname already knew he was. More sure than he'd ever been of anything. He leaned forwards and their lips met softly in the dark.

Zero didn't hesitate at all this time. His arms slid around Kaname's shoulders as the pureblood leaned in and held him close. The hunter's lips parted in quiet invitation that still managed to seem a little on the sweetly shy side. Kaname caressed Zero's lips with his, skillful tongue just teasing his lover's sensitive teeth until Zero gave a hungry, impatient little groan and came looking for him, the sensation creating electric shivers down the pureblood's spine as Zero's warm tongue slid into his mouth, easily coaxing Kaname down into his own as they explored one another with heated delight. Kaname curled his fingers into Zero's short, soft hair and Zero's fingers knotted into Kaname's suit coat as they traded long, intimate kisses under the silent canopy of the starry heavens.

It was a little while before they finally separated, breathless and flushed. It was excitement and desire that painted a rosy hue to their cheeks this time. Kaname rested his head against Zero's shoulder for a moment, arms linked around the hunter's waist, heart pounding. The breeze was cool on his flushed skin and his senses were all blissfully full of nothing but Zero.

Soft strains of music floated to them on the breeze from somewhere across the lake. A party or reception of some kind must have begun outside at one of the waterfront establishments, because it sounded very much like a live string quartet. To their vampire hearing, the music carried across the open water pretty clearly.

The breeze was cool on Zero's face too and he let his head fall back a little, gazing up at the starry sky above as he tenderly stroked the silky chocolate tresses that tumbled down over Kaname's collar, nuzzling the pureblood with his cheek. Kaname's mouth was deliciously close to his neck and for a few moments he wondered if his lover was going to bite him. It was a bit of a surprise for the hunter to realize how naturally that thought could come to him now. He had no idea when exactly he'd managed to become so comfortable with the idea of this pureblood vampire sinking his teeth into his neck... but there it was. When it was just the two of them, he wasn't afraid or as self-conscious about it as he used to be, not anymore. Not with Kaname.

Kaname did not bite him though, he was just savoring the feeling of Zero in his arms a little longer before he could finally seem to bear the idea of releasing him. The pureblood finally let go a few moments later, stepping back a little with a warm, rueful smile. Tonight was a true exercise of his control and restraint, given how much his body was aching for Zero. But his heart was so very full, he couldn't have been happier. "I'm glad you like it," he whispered softly, not really sure what else to say but saved from feeling awkward by the happy glow of the kiss still lingering in his senses.

Zero smiled, both happy and self conscious, but mostly happy. _How could I not like it? _Even aside from the beautiful specialness of its meaning, he had to admit it felt very _right _around his neck. Kind of like Kaname felt so _right _in his arms. He didn't really notice that warm pulsing sensation he'd been aware of when he first touched it anymore, but it still felt very comfortable as it rested against his skin, like it had effortlessly become a part of him. The hunter's fingers slid up instinctually to touch the pendant.

He yelped softly and jerked when the stone seemed to grow warmer under his fingertips and a sudden whirl of lights flickered to life in front of him. The lights were rapidly merging together to form some kind of picture before they suddenly disappeared again. He'd yanked his fingers automatically away from the stone when the apparition appeared.

Kaname chuckled softly at Zero's surprise. "It's okay, Zero. You just triggered the playback. Go on, touch it again," he encouraged.

Zero looked a trifle uncertain for a moment, his hand hovering a few inches away from the pendant about his neck. It wasn't exactly that he'd forgotten what he'd seen the necklace do, way back the first time he'd seen it. But he had much less of an idea than Kaname did of what it meant or how exactly that worked. His own curiosity was killing him though and the tender eagerness in Kaname's eyes gave added impetus, overcoming his hesitation.

Zero curled his fingers around the pendant again, holding on firmly in his fist this time as the lights whirled to life in front of him, producing a small but very clear 3D image... of he and Kaname kissing. Complete with sound. Zero flushed a little. It was kind of odd to see it from the outside like this. But it was kind of neat too. He'd never seen anything like what this stone was apparently capable of and soft wonder danced in his eyes as he cleared his throat in mild embarrassment and quickly released the pendant again, causing the image to fade away once more.

Kaname was smiling deeply. He'd wanted this to be special for Zero, and the very fact that their kiss following the gift had recorded into the stone meant that it had been. He was touched that that should be the first of Zero's memories to be captured. The first memory that they had made in the stone together... but it would certainly not be the last, and Kaname looked forward to each and every one.

"The stone in the pendant is very rare. They call it a memory stone," the pureblood said softly by way of explanation, not sure how much Zero remembered from before and not really recalling how much he might have explained back then anyway. "It is sensitive to the emotions of the wearer. Once it has been bound to your blood, then as long as it is near your heart and touching your skin, it will record short scenes if it senses... strong feelings," the pureblood whispered.

Soft awe continued to be visible in Zero's gaze. He was getting an even better appreciation for just how special this gift was. Although the small, practical part of his mind said it was going to be interesting trying to be careful not to touch it and accidentally set off playback at some... inappropriate time. "How...?"

Kaname shook his head with a small shrug. "To be honest, I don't know. It's a very old art, the secrets of which have been largely lost over the ages. There's a few master jewelers who still know how to work with the charms that harness the abilities of the stone, but the origin and power of the gems themselves are a mystery," he admitted. It had already been a rare curio millennia ago when his parents were young. Perhaps they had known more about it, but if so, they had taken that information to the grave with them.

Zero shook his head with a wry smile. "Wow... you never do anything small, do you, Kaname?" he said with a trace of overwhelmed amusement.

Kaname smiled back. "Not when it comes to you."

Zero chuckled before his eyes turned a bit more serious. "You know, I thought this whole date thing was a terrible idea at first. But, I have to say... this... this really has been a great night, Kaname. Thank you. For everything."

The pureblood practically glowed with pleasure at his lover's words. "It has been for me as well. Thank _you _for putting up with me, and giving it a chance. You know, there's just one more thing that would make it perfect..." the pureblood murmured, his fingers almost wistfully brushing Zero's cheek. The music was drifting to them clearer than ever. A waltz now. Kaname hesitated, wondering how Zero would react if he finished that thought.

"Yeah..." Zero whispered back, leaning slightly into Kaname's touch. His gaze slid from the moon, to Kaname, and then out across the water to wherever the music was coming from. He knew what Kaname was thinking, it was pretty clear in the pureblood's eyes. Zero couldn't pretend he hadn't thought about the same thing a couple of times... wondering what it would be like. He shifted slightly, a shy, hesitant manner stealing over him. Kaname was very patient with him. This whole date was proof of that. It wasn't fair of him to always make Kaname be the one to carry the burden of making the first move. Certainly, Kaname seemed more than adept at it, but...

"Kaname would you... would you dance with me?" Zero blurted out suddenly, in a whisper. He colored to his ears, staring studiously at the ground now and quickly second-guessing himself. _Okay, and what if that _wasn't _what Kaname was thinking? What if _you're _the only sop whose been fantasizing about what that would be like? _"I mean... if you want to. Nobody's here to see," he mumbled, not sure he should have spoken. Yeah... that's right, this was why he usually let Kaname make the first move, because he felt like an idiot whenever he tried. "Never mind, forget it..."

Kaname stopped the hurried words by clasping Zero's face in his hands and kissing him gently. The pureblood's heart was very full. "If you hadn't asked, I was going to ask you," he murmured truthfully with a deep, adoring smile. He didn't know why Zero still seemed so shy with him sometimes. Didn't the hunter know that _anything _he wanted to do would be okay with the pureblood? Even if Kaname hadn't considered it before? Well, maybe Kaname would just have to make more of an effort to make sure he knew that in the future. It would be his distinct pleasure to do so.

"Zero, I would be delighted to dance with you." He kissed the soft, moist lips again tenderly. "And I wouldn't care if the whole world was here to see." The pureblood stepped away and bent down to pick something up from the ground as a thought struck him. "Just give me one moment..."

Zero ducked his head, a pleased smile dancing on his face as he curiously watched to see what Kaname was up to.

The pureblood picked up the cardboard box he'd been toting around since the arcade and gave it a quick glance, easily reading the packaging despite the darkness. He nodded to himself as if confirming what he'd already thought. "Batteries included," he told Zero with a small, slightly mysterious smile.

Zero raised his eyebrows questioningly, but just watched as Kaname quickly opened the box and pulled out the small black globe, which was spotted with multiple plastic discs of varying colors. Two batteries were included in a small plastic bag and Kaname placed them into the square base of the toy. The little disco light came to life, the small light bulb inside the globe glowing softly and sending a cascade of multi-colored beams streaming out through the different plastic discs embedded into its surface. With a smile, Kaname set it down on the grass and the small ball rotated slowly around and around on its base. It was more of a toy than a real light, so it's illumination was quite dim, which was perfect for the mood.

Zero's surprised smile grew as he saw the way the soft, shifting, colored rays of light danced slowly across the silver, moonlit grass, making the already idyllic setting nearly ridiculously enchanting. Leave it to Kaname to find a way to improve upon perfection.

Then Kaname was standing in front of him and Zero felt himself swallowing almost nervously. He wasn't... wasn't really that much of a dancer. But what the hell? The fingers of their right hands slid together, and their left hands found each other's waists. There was a moment of pause, both of them looking at one another with expressions somewhere between hesitancy, expectation and maybe a little bit of awkwardness too. Then they started moving to the music.

The music was slow at first, and they mostly swayed to rhythm as if not sure what else to do, shifting back and forth in a small box step like teens at their first school dance who hadn't quite figured out the moves yet. There was a kind of sweetness to the awkwardness though which made it comfortable despite the uncertainty. Perhaps for the first time that evening, it actually felt something like a first date and for some reason that made Zero smile. He stepped the wrong direction and bumped lightly into Kaname's chest. Kaname tried to compensate, attempting to follow Zero's lead, and almost stepped on Zero's foot.

Kaname was an experienced dancer. Training in the social graces had been part of his upbringing. But he was, obviously, used to dancing the male part. Zero's dance experience was a little more sketchy. He knew how, but hadn't practiced much. Naturally, he too had learned the male steps, however, so that was how he attempted to move. Kaname recognized this and tried to follow him, but it was difficult for the pureblood because the other way was so ingrained into him. It was incredibly hard for him to resist simply taking the lead, but he was trying not to. Zero had asked him to dance, and he didn't want Zero to have to feel like he had to be the 'girl'.

Unfortunately, Zero, being hesitant in his knowledge, did not give a very strong lead to follow. He didn't realize that he was supposed to be leading, actually, and was simply attempting to match his steps to Kaname's in any way that worked and kept them from tripping one another. So sometimes he was leading by default, and then sometimes he was trying to follow. Both of them trying to follow was apparently just as problematic as both of them trying to lead.

The music had shifted to a slightly faster pace and attempting to keep up with it was not improving their fluidity much. It would have been embarrassing anywhere else, but here where it was just the two of them, alone in the dark after a beautiful evening... it was actually rather funny. Zero's shoulders shook softly and he started chuckled despite himself as his foot bumped into Kaname's and they jarred against each other's chests again. "Damn..." he said with dry amusement. "It's a good thing this isn't really our first date. I'm sure you'd never want to go out with me again."

Kaname laughed softly as well, attempting to follow what he thought was Zero telling him to turn, which ended up with them having to stumbling sideways to catch their balance. "Are you kidding? With those gorgeous eyes and a body like yours? Of course I'd go out with you again," he teased back.

"Oh _really_?" Zero returned with a playfully accusing smirk as they once again found themselves trying to go opposite directions. "So it's like that is it? You're so shallow..."

Kaname smirked in return, enjoying the verbal jousting. "Mmm... as a puddle," he agreed teasingly, lightly nipping at Zero's earlobe as they swayed back and forth.

Zero grinned and pretended to be scandalized. He rolled his eyes with resigned amusement as he bumped squarely into Kaname yet again. _Maybe there were some things they just weren't meant to do... _"Wow, we really suck at this."

"Speak for yourself," Kaname retorted, whirling them both around in a small, surprisingly graceful little turn that Zero found strangely easy to follow. "I'll have you know I'm actually an excellent dancer."

Somehow, Zero didn't have any trouble believing that, despite current circumstances. For a moment they moved together with an unexpected, relaxed grace and it actually seemed to be working... but then Kaname appeared to be waiting for Zero to do something and the hunter wasn't sure what. Kaname led so naturally that Zero wanted to follow, but Kaname was once again trying to follow him, so they found themselves merely shuffling back and forth a little disjointedly once more.

Zero gave Kaname an amused, but frustrated look. "Okay, that's it, just stop," he protested with a rueful laugh, bringing them both to a halt and drawing an apologetic look from his partner. He didn't know what he was supposed to be doing and Kaname's vacillation between leading and following wasn't helping. They needed to pick a method and stick to it, or be doomed to keep stepping on each other's feet. "This isn't working. Look, just _lead _and let me try to follow, okay?"

Kaname gave a slow nod of acquiescence, giving Zero's hand a little squeeze as they started again. "Okay," he murmured with a small smile. It was a relief for him to go back to doing what he knew how to do and his hand settled more snuggly at Zero's waist, silently telegraphing which way to move and when they were about to turn to his partner.

Kaname stepped forward and Zero stepped back, then Kaname moved back and Zero naturally moved forward. There was still a little hesitation at first, a little bit of shuffling with unfamiliar patterns, but Zero was a very quick study, and since he wasn't that strong of a dancer to start with, it was easier for him to fall into new patterns if given some clear direction. Kaname was able to provide a strong and steady lead that it wasn't hard to follow and Zero found himself flowing much more naturally to the music. He wasn't even sure how the pureblood was doing it, but with little tugs at his hand and varying pressure against his waist, somehow Kaname's body language told him which way to move and when. They weren't trying anything complicated, but by the time they'd reached the end of the waltz, they both felt a lot more comfortable.

The next piece of music was mellower and more intimate. Kaname pulled Zero a little closer, their movements slowing but remaining graceful. Zero watched Kaname's face in the moonlight as they slowly turned round and round together on the silvery grass. There was something enchanting about just moving together like this. The hunter didn't even realize that he'd stopped thinking about his feet as he lost himself in the music, the moonlight, and Kaname. Kaname was regarding him with _that _look again. That openly adoring one that made the hunter feel torn between kissing him and blushing and looking away.

Zero gave a soft, contented little smirk as they swayed and turned. "Okay, remind me, _why _didn't we just do this in the first place?" Their feet still bumped occasionally, but on the whole the change between their stilted attempts before and the perhaps hesitant, but much more relaxed naturalness now was pretty stark. "You just like seeing me trip all over my feet, or what?" he teased Kaname gently.

Kaname drank up the way the soft colored lights being thrown off by the disco ball painted the hunter's silver hair and sparkled in his eyes in the dark. He smiled a little hesitantly at Zero's statement. "Well... I didn't want to just take over if you wanted to lead," the pureblood admitted quietly. He knew he did that a lot, actually, in many different ways. The truth was, sometimes Zero got pretty damn irritated with him about it, which was the only reason he was beginning to become aware that it could be a problem. It was part of his nature, it was part of who he was and what everyone else expected of him... but everything was different with Zero, or at least, he knew it should be. He saw them as equals and he never wanted Zero to doubt that. "I don't want you to feel like you always have to follow."

Kaname's eyes were so soft and earnest that they almost surprised the hunter. Zero hadn't been analyzing the situation or reading meaning into it nearly so deeply, but suddenly he understood the significance with which Kaname was imbuing the outwardly simple act. His smile deepened a little. Just the fact that Kaname felt that way and wanted him to know it meant a lot to him. The pureblood was capable of being an arrogant control freak on occasion, but Zero had slowly begun to understand that those ingrained tendencies didn't mean that Kaname didn't respect him. The pureblood's very earnest efforts at moments like this were strong proof of that.

"Thanks," he said quietly as they continued to dance. It did feel that he was always stuck in the following role sometimes, but deep down he knew it wasn't really true. Kaname had had no problem following him into the park, or into the arcade earlier even though that hadn't been the pureblood's kind of place at all, just like Zero had been willing to let Kaname take him to see Kabuki even though he thought he'd be bored stiff. In the end, they'd both had a wonderful time.

_"But I don't mind following, when you're more familiar with the path,"_ Zero added silently, hesitantly reaching out and touching Kaname's mind lightly in order to impart the feeling of the statement rather than actual words. His gaze was earnest as it held that of the pureblood. Words sometimes seemed to stymie him, feeling right in his head but then sounding all stupid or sappy when they tried to come out of his mouth. Somehow imparting the pure feeling, the way it was in his heart, without trying to form it into a package that he could express verbally seemed easier at this moment. Some things, it was easier not to say out loud.

They slowed, but didn't quite stop as Kaname returned his gaze, flooded with the lovely warmth of the intimate mental contact that carried feelings and meaning much better than speech. Kaname _loved _it when Zero touched him this way. It was an incredible feeling. _"Neither do I, Zero. Neither do I,"_ he replied through the same bond, letting the hunter feel his thoughts more than hear them.

Perhaps the truth was, their whole wonderful evening was a simile of the silent truth they now shared between them. If they were both willing to let the other lead in the areas where they excelled and sometimes be the leader, sometimes the follower, if they were willing to be open minded and try new things for each other... then they both ended up having a great time, like tonight, and things went smoothly, like the close, intimate dance they were now sharing.

Zero shivered pleasantly as Kaname gave him a kind of mental caress that was not easily explained and he returned the gesture. Feeling very contented, Zero tilted his head forward, laying it lightly against Kaname's shoulder as they continued to dance together in the dark. Although they had the ability, they did not touch one another's minds or communicate without words too frequently. For one thing, they were both very private people and personal mental space was important. For another, it tended to tire Zero out, so Kaname rarely initiated the contact, preferring to let the hunter do so if and when he desired such. Incredibly strong as Zero's will was, it was inevitable that if they were mentally linked for too long, the pureblood's will would become dominant whether he intended it or not. So they limited that kind of contact. In a way, though, it merely made it more special when they did open to one another on that level. It gave a certain warmth and an almost intoxicating level of intimacy that left them both feeling as if they'd been drinking potent wine all evening.

Kaname was enraptured by the glorious, fulfilling feeling of Zero's light, hesitant touches against his mind and he stroked his lover's consciousness in return with tender, oh-so-careful caresses. It sounded odd when put into words, but for the two of them at that moment, it felt incredibly natural.

His head buzzing contentedly, Zero nuzzled the side of Kaname's neck, pushing his collar down so he could kiss the side of his lover's neck with languid fascination as they danced. It was Kaname's turn to shiver. He held Zero tightly to him, feeling the thrum of the other's heartbeat and the warmth of the hunter's mouth against his skin as they turned round and round. _This, _he thought, _was the most perfect dance ever. _

For a long time they danced, content to linger in this moment and let the world slide by unheeded. By the time the dance music ceased and the quartet shifted to playing sonatas and symphonies that were lovely, but not meant for dancing, the two vampires felt almost fully intoxicated from their own contact and the sheer loveliness of the night. Neither of them felt remotely ready to go home. They wandered down the hill hand in hand. They took off their shoes and jackets, rolled up their pants and waded in the cool, lapping water of the lake, talking in low tones, laughing, and occasionally splashing each other _'on accident'. _

Many of the lights dotted around the lake were starting to go out by the time they made their way back up the hill again. The was grass soft and slick under their dripping, bare feet.

"You left your light on, you're going to run the batteries out," Zero pointed out practically, nodding to the still softly sparkling little disco ball as he dropped his shoes and socks on the ground and more carefully draped his suit coat on one of the nearby picnic tables. Kaname similarly disposed of the extra clothing items he had carried up from the lake and unrolled his pant cuffs. He rather liked the dim color display being cast by the little party light and merely gave it a glance before flopping down onto the grass on his back, arms pillowing his head as he gazed up at the sky.

"I think I can afford to get new batteries. If I save up," he teased.

Zero shot him a mock scowl and dropped down onto the grass next to him. Kaname immediately moved closer, reaching over and pulling Zero to his side. Zero started to resist, then realized he had no idea why he should want to, and allowed it. He rolled onto his side, pillowing his head on Kaname's arm and letting his hand rest on Kaname's chest, fingers lightly splayed over the pureblood's heart.

They were silent with their own thoughts for a few minutes and Zero was aware of both the feeling of Kaname's heartbeat and the small, comfortable weight of the necklace resting at the base of his throat. Silently, the hunter wondered how he'd gotten this lucky. He'd once thought his life was completely cursed. Sure, it wasn't all a bed of roses now, but... he was happy. He really was. That was something that for a long time he'd never believed would be possible.

As annoying as his lover could be on occasion, Kaname was pretty wonderful. Not that Zero would admit that to him most of the time and give the sweetly insufferable blood sucker an even bigger head than he already had... but still. It was true. Zero felt Kaname give a little shiver as his fingers slid under the pureblood's collar, finding skin to rest against. The pureblood was so incredibly responsive to him. Truly, anyone would have to consider themselves the luckiest person in the world to...

A small frown crossed Zero's face. Luck really didn't have anything to do with it though, did it? Conversation had been flowing easily between them for the last little while, as it tended to do whenever they'd allowed themselves the intense closeness of touching minds. Somehow, after feeling what the other was feeling, words became easier to say and both barriers and hesitancies were for a while soothed away into insignificance. So after a few moments Zero said what was on his mind. "You know... I wonder sometimes. If I've taken advantage of you," he admitted softly.

Kaname blinked, an incredulous smile tugging the corners of his mouth up. "Don't you have that kind of backwards?"

"No, I don't." Zero shook his head against Kaname's arm, he was obviously serious. "Kaname," he turned a bit so he could see the other's face better. "Do you think you'd love me, if... if it weren't for the blood bond?" he asked softly, his eyes hesitant and unsure, but hopeful. He wanted to be told it wasn't true, even while he feared otherwise. "I mean... earlier we were talking about that first time. You know, inthewarehouse," Zero's words ran together in a mumble as if he'd rather they not be heard, making Kaname smile. "And I can't help wondering sometimes, if..." he trailed off.

Kaname rolled more onto his side so he could face Zero. His hand cupped the hunter's cheek and his eyes burned with tender fierceness. "If this is all biological?" he whispered softly, understanding now what had Zero concerned.

Zero gave a small nod, unconsciously worrying his lower lip with his teeth. For a long time, he'd tried hard to convince himself that that _was _all it was. Now, he knew otherwise, but he sometimes he still wondered if he was being unfair. "I know that our bond has always effected you more than me, and that... that... you need me, to survive. And maybe... maybe I've taken advantage of that. Maybe you only _think_ you love me, but if we weren't bound..."

Kaname laughed softly and pulled Zero close. "And maybe if the beach wasn't so near the water the lake wouldn't lap up onto it..." he held Zero to him tenderly, stroking his cheek. "No, Zero... our bond is a part of our love, but it's not the source of it. Had we no connection at all... still, I would love you with every breath in my body."

Zero felt himself relax, warm happiness threading through him again. Somehow... somehow he knew that that was true. He believed Kaname, but he felt the need to talk this out. "But you would never have thought of being with me, without it..." he whispered.

Kaname held his gaze earnestly. "No, I suppose you are right. No more than you would probably have let me touch you with a ten foot pole otherwise, hm?" he smiled.

"Try hundred foot," Zero couldn't resist shooting back with a small grin. "No, hundred and ten," he amended," making Kaname laugh softly.

"The bond did bring us together," Kaname agreed. "It forced us past our preconceived ideas and let us see what might be, which we might otherwise never have seen. But that doesn't make what we've found since then any less true."

Zero smiled, his fingers toying with Kaname's shirt collar. "You mean, it made us stop hating each other long enough to figure out that we could love each other if given the chance?" he said wryly.

Kaname gave a silent chuckle at that. "Yes, I suppose that's _one _way of putting it. And I'm very glad it did. I can't imagine a life where I didn't discover you." His finger slowly traced the shape of the pendant resting against Zero's breastbone.

Zero's hand slid up to cover his, curling around Kaname's fingers and the pendant. He didn't start this time as the soft whirl of lights sprang into being and the memory stone called up a small image of he and Kaname dancing together, suspended in the air. The hunter smiled, just watching for a moment. He was glad it had captured that. His first dance with Kaname on their first date. That was one of those things to remember, wasn't it?

Kaname smiled too, contentedly watching he and Zero sway together, hovering like ghosts in the night air. He liked glimpsing what was going into the stone's memory, because it gave him a look into Zero, and what effected him and his emotions. That was something that wasn't always easy to tell with his sometimes habitually introverted lover. The fact that all these things that meant a lot to him, must mean a lot to Zero too pleased him deeply.

Not really sure who started it this time, they found themselves trading silent kisses again for a minute before Zero finally leaned back and pulled his hand away, letting the image fade with a chuckle and catching his breath. "You know, that could get awkward if I accidentally set it off sometime like, oh, I don't know, in one of those boring vampire dinner parties you drag me to."

Kaname laughed softly. "I dare say that would. But you don't _have _to activate it when you touch it. You can learn to control it, and to control what plays and how much. You just need to practice."

"Oh, well, that's good to know. Thanks for not telling me that up front," Zero teased. "Anything else I should know? Like it start beeping if I fill it to full, or..."

Kaname leaned in and kissed Zero again soundly, cutting him off. Zero made a soft, delighted little groan of protest before he gave up whatever he'd been going to say and just kissed the pureblood back.

"No, Zero," Kaname said finally when he came up for air again. "Considering that it's been known to store several thousand years worth of memories, I don't think you're going to have to worry about it getting too full."

The pureblood turned over, rolling Zero onto his back on the grass and leaning over him as his mouth dipped down to taste those beautiful lips again before trailing down Zero's chin to his throat. Zero's neck had been driving him crazy all evening with that delightful low collar and he just had to savor it, kissing and licking the pale flesh ardently.

Zero drew a shuddering breath in as he felt Kaname's weight settle over him. "That's... good..." he murmured breathlessly, his fingers seeking Kaname's back as the pureblood coaxed sheer, beautiful fire from his sensitive throat. "Because I want to make lots more memories with you, Kaname."

Kaname beamed against his lover's skin, the intense, compelling thrum of passion, love and desire threading through him finally becoming too much for him to ignore. "I want to, too, Zero..." he murmured back around fiery kisses as he licked and sucked at the base of Zero's neck, hips rubbing slowly and suggestively against the strong, slender body beneath him.

Zero's shirt had come un-tucked and Kaname was unable to resist letting his hand slide under the hem, traveling slowly across the smooth skin of Zero's side and the toned planes of his abs. "I'd like to start... right... now..." the pureblood panted softly, his eyes starting to deepen to that darker color they sometimes took on when he was particularly aroused.

Zero reached out and caressed Kaname quite intimately with his mind and the pureblood shuddered, eyes nearly rolling back in his head.

The answering brush of Kaname's mind left Zero gasping for breath, his groin burning mercilessly. _Whoa... this was __**good. **_Zero gasped again, head arching a bit against the ground as Kaname's skillful, searching fingers found a nipple beneath his shirt and teased it skillfully. His body felt extra sensitive and his senses danced with delight.

Kaname drank up the reaction, his body throbbing almost painfully. He knew they were starting to skirt well beyond where he was going to want to come back from again. "Zero..." he murmured hoarsely, lifting his head to gaze into his lover's eyes as his fingers continued to twist and tease the warm, velvety nub of the hunter's nipple. "Do we still have to be on first date behavior...?" he groaned softly in a tone that was faintly pleading and intensely seductive.

Zero chuckled breathlessly, fire jolting from Kaname's fingers on his nipple straight to his groin, egged on by the slow, steady rubbing of the pureblood's hard body against his own and the light, somehow erotic caress of Kaname's consciousness. They were outside, in a frigging public park... but it was well after midnight and there was no one out here... and to be honest, he just really didn't care at this point. It had been an intensely beautiful date and Kaname was so sinfully, wonderfully close. "Oh, I think that ship has _so _sailed already, Kaname..." he murmured back with a heated grin, his hands sliding down to grip his lover's backside and rock Kaname's hips more firmly against his own.

Kaname's heated smile was deep and delighted as his head quickly dropped down once more to capture those delicious lips and suck Zero's breath skillfully out of his body.

------------------------------------

**Epilogue**

It was almost dawn when Kaname and Zero finally returned to Cross Academy. Kaname smiled to himself as he slid silently through the trees behind the Moon Dorms and slipped in the back door. The irony of sneaking back to school in the wee hours of the morning after a particularly... _delightful _date was not lost on him. Technically, he had no need to sneak as he wasn't a student there any longer and even when he had been no one would have questioned his coming and going.

But the pureblood was thinking of the adorable, sleeping burden he was carrying in his arms. Zero's hair and his clothing were suggestively disheveled and he probably wouldn't have been pleased if Kaname simply walked up the main drive carrying the slumbering hunter bridal style in front of him. At this hour, even the vampires were most likely already in bed and the hunters and humans were probably only just beginning to stir, but still, the pureblood knew Zero wouldn't have liked it.

Kaname pressed a soft kiss against Zero's damp, tousled hair as he climbed up the stairs with him, careful to make sure the hunter's dangling arm didn't bang into the banister. Kaname was quite tired himself, but he didn't mind carrying Zero. Ultimately, he was sort of responsible for his lover being out like this anyway. The hunter was completely worn out from their delightful evening and their... _activities_... in the park. It had been beautiful and intensely intimate and they had allowed themselves to touch and caress one another both physically and mentally, as they did very rarely. It was an aptly special ending to a very special day.

One of the side effects of that though, was that Zero fell deeply asleep afterwards and was fairly impossible to awaken. Kaname had laid with him for a long, peaceful while on the grass, also exhausted to a certain extent, his heart so full he thought it might burst. But eventually of course, they had to come back. Kaname could have called for the car... but he hadn't wanted to. With vampire speed, it wasn't terribly far. Kaname hadn't really even hurried. This was their special night and he treasured the long walk back to the Academy with his lover sleeping peacefully in his arms.

Now they were home though, and the pureblood was glad because he was feeling pretty weary himself and very ready to fall into his nice, soft bed. Beside Zero.

Kaname turned into the hallway leading to his rooms, starting to summon the energy to work the door with his mind, since his hands were occupied, but he didn't need to. Takuma was making his way down the hall from the other end. The pajamas he was wearing and the plate of cookies in his hand said he'd probably been down to the kitchens for a bedtime snack. The pitcher of milk suggested that he was getting the snack for more than just himself, probably Shiki.

When the blonde saw Kaname, he quickly set the plate and pitcher down on the floor and hurried forward, opening Kaname's door before the pureblood got there.

"Thank you," Kaname gave his friend a small smile as he reached the doorway.

"Good date?" Takuma asked with an affectionate and knowing smile as his green gaze slid across the pair's rumpled clothing and their obvious, happy exhaustion. His gaze caught on the open neck of Zero's shirt, where a small gem rested against the hunter's pale skin. Even though the colors seemed to have changed a bit, Takuma instantly recognized the pendant he'd seen many times around Juri Kuran's neck when he and Kaname would play together as small children. The noble's smile deepened, an infinitely tender and happy look in his gaze as it shifted up to hold Kaname's. He was so glad. So fiercely glad that his friend had found a love like this, one that could complete him so utterly.

Kaname caught where Takuma's gaze had lingered before finding his and his answering smile was deep. "You have _no _idea," he responded with a twinkle of amusement and bliss in his tired eyes.

Takuma grinned broadly and just stepped out of the way, holding the door for them as Kaname carried his exhaustedly slumbering lover inside. He shut the door softly behind them and picked up the cookies and milk once more before slipping away down the hall. A tender, happy smile danced on his lips. _Oh, I think I have a pretty good idea, Kaname._

Back in the bedroom, Kaname laid Zero down gently and got him ready for bed. He removed his lover's rumpled clothing and changed him into a fresh, soft sleep shirt. The light, cream colored tunic was lightly embroidered and ornamented with a Turkish flair, falling most of the way down to the ex-human's knees. It had a matching pair of pants, but Kaname rather liked it when Zero didn't wear pajama bottoms to bed, and since the hunter wasn't exactly in any position to voice an opinion... Kaname smiled fondly as he shed his own rumpled clothing and slid into a similar sleep shirt.

He draped his and Zero's suits on one of the nearby chairs, intending to have them sent out for cleaning tomorrow. Zero's orchid he removed carefully and set on top of the dresser. His rose was more or less fixed to his jacket until Zero released it, so that would have to wait.

An amused smile danced on Kaname's weary lips as he set his little disco light, whose batteries were thoroughly dead now, on the nightstand and then turned to regard the hunter's resting form.

Long fingers brushed tenderly through mussed silver locks as the tired pureblood took a moment to enjoy the sight of his sleeping lover. Zero stirred finally, violet eyes fluttering blearily open for a moment to catch a glimpse of the room and the pureblood before closing again as if the effort was just too great. Somehow, his sleepy brain just managed to process the notion that they were back at the academy. How they'd gotten there didn't really cross his mind yet. Maybe it would tomorrow.

"Stop standing there staring at me like the freaking cat that ate the damn canary..." Zero murmured in fondly annoyed, sleep slurred tones. The hunter's hand came up to grasp Kaname's arm, giving a tug that indicated he should get some rest too, preferably somewhere in close proximity.

Kaname willingly followed Zero down to the bed, curling up contentedly beside him as their heads rested together on the pillow. Zero, not really awake, tugged Kaname's arm over him and snuggled into the pureblood's shoulder more by instinct than anything else.

"... 'at was a really good date," the soft, slurring murmur was muffled by Kaname's nightshirt, only barely audible as the hunter's body relaxed back to sleep with a soft sigh that was awfully close to a satisfied purr.

Kaname smiled as he curled closer to Zero, pulling the covers over them both. He closed his eyes, face buried in a tangled mane of silver hair. "Yes, Zero. It was," he whispered back.

THE END

_"We're fools whether we dance or not, so we might as well dance."  
__--Japanese Proverb_


End file.
